Vegetarian Rueben

Yes...I know, the name alone sounds like an oxymoron. When I posted on Facebook the other night that we had these sandwiches, a friend asked "Are you trying to put the universe out of balance? And how exactly do you make a vegetarian rueben?" To this another friend said "Easy...take 5lbs of vegetarian..." Har har...

Don't get me wrong! I love the rueben! It's one of my favorites/must haves in a diner. Right up there with tuna melt and taylor ham & cheese (on a kaiser...). But one of my New Year's resolutions this year was to get back onto the 3 Vegetarian/Vegan meals a week thing. And I not only have to convince myself, I have to convince my husband, who didn't eat vegetables before he met me. I figured a ruebenesque sandwich may help convince him to eat his veggies.

Two nights ago, I was going through my magazine pile. Currently in my subscription list are: Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious (been a subscriber since it was Quick Cooking), Vegetarian Times (something I was sucked into when kids were selling magazines in my neighborhood four years ago...I paid too much for two years...now I only pay $15 for two years...believe me...that's UNBELIEVABLE), Southern Cooking (a gift from my friend Karen...has GREAT dessert ideas), and Rachel Ray (a new addition, courtesy of my mother in law). A great bulk of the recipes I use come from Vegetarian Times and Taste of Home.

So here, I am, going through my latest magazines, and of all places, in Taste of Home, I stumble upon this recipe. Taste of home actually has had a few good vegetarian recipes every month in their magazine for the past two years. They much realize that there is a higher demand for this. I'm loving it.

Anyway, I decide to attempt the recipe. I followed the recipe by the letter and we loved it. The only thing I didn't do that I probably should have, was drain the sauerkraut. I was in a bit too much of a hurry...and it made the bread a little soggy, but cooking it helped that....so here goes...Vegetarian Ruebans...

1 pk (6 oz) sliced bay portobello mushrooms (I used regular, was easier to put on sandwich and made it 'meatier'...pun totally intended)

2 TBSP olive oil, divided

1 pkg. (6 oz) fresh baby spinach

8 slices marble rye bread

1/4 cup prepared thousand Island salad dressing

8 sliced Swiss cheese (they said process, I just got cheese from the deli)

1 cup sauerkraut, rinse and well drained (doh! I guess reading is fundamental, see above)

2 TBSP butter, softened

Saute mushrooms in 1 TBSP oil in a large skillet until lightly browned; remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Saute spinach in remaining oil in the same skillet (cause extra dishes suck and you'll be putting it all together later anyway) until wilted. Remove from heat.

Spread bread sliced with salad dressing (Kevin said I was not liberal enough with this) and top with a cheese slice. Layer four slices with mushrooms, spinach and sauerkraut. Top with remaining bread. Butter outside of sandwiches (note: I just melted the butter in the pan, fried one side, then put more butter in the pan for the other side...mostly cause butter is a pain to spread and we don't do the margarine thing anymore).

Toast sandwiches in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Yum!