Italian Spinach Braid Food

SPINACH RICOTTA CRESCENT WRAP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• On a baking sheet (sprayed with oil or lined with parchment paper), roll out crescent dough flat and press edges together to make a sheet.
• In a medium-sized cast iron skillet or saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped bell pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender.
• Add spinach a cup or so at a time, cooking down in stages (should only take a couple minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Mix in ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, seasoning and salt and pepper. Let cool for a couple minutes, as to not melt dough in next step.
• Pour spinach mixture over crescent dough in an even layer, leaving room around the edges of the dough. Braid the crescent dough around the spinach mixture (see write-up in article for picture demonstration).
• Bake at 350°F. for 25-30 minutes, or until dough is golden brown.

SAUSAGE, MUSHROOM & SPINACH PIZZA BRAID

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Italian sausage 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in mushrooms; cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned and tender. Stir in spinach leaves; cook until just starting to wilt. Remove from heat; stir in pizza sauce.
• Unroll dough on cookie sheet to 13x8-inch rectangle. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese in 3 1/2-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of dough all the way to ends; top cheese with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
• Make cuts 1 inch apart on each side of rectangle just to edge of filling. Alternating from side to side, fold cut strips of dough at an angle halfway across filling, slightly overlapping ends.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High 20 to 30 seconds or until melted; stir in Italian seasoning. Brush butter mixture on top of braided crescent dough.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional pizza sauce, if desired.

ITALIAN RUSTIC SPINACH BREAD

Steps:

• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
• In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
• Add warm water and oil, mix well with fork.
• Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead at least 10 minutes until smooth.
• Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel.
• Let rise in warm place (80-85F) for 30-40 minutes.
• Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheet with cornmeal.
• Punch down dough and cover with inverted bowl, and rest for 15 minutes.
• Divide dough into two loaves.
• Roll out one loaf at a time into approximately 12"x14" and spread spinach mixture evenly all over surface.
• Roll up tightly tucking in sides and set aside on a cookie sheet that is lightly covered with cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and cloth towel.
• Let loaves rise for another 30-40 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• With a sharp knife cut several deep diagonal slits on top of each loaf.
• Brush tops with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 25-35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped.
• Cool slightly and serve warm.
• Note: For freezing, cool completely and wrap in aluminum foil. Reheat in oven at 350F for 15 minutes.
• Filling Directions:.
• Place thawed spinach in large frying pan over low flame.
• Mix in the balance of ingredients and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes.
• Cool.
• With your hands, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and set aside.

SAUSAGE, SPINACH & CHEESE CRESCENT BRAID - LOW FAT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F
• In skillet, remove sausage from casings, mush down to little cubes, cook sausage over medium heat until entirely cooked, drain.
• In large bowl, mix spinach, parmesan cheese, onions and garlic.
• Add cooked sausage to mixture and stir.
• Unroll dough into 1 large rectangle on greased cooking dish.
• Spoon sausage mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of rectangle.
• With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of sausage mixture. Fold strips of dough up over sausage mixture to meet in center; pinch to seal.
• Bake at 375°F for 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BREAD

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil, set aside.
• Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions, salt, pepper and parsley. Cook onions until they are translucent, then add the garlic. Cook the onions until they are carmelized.
• Remove the onions to a bowl, leaving the extra butter in the pan.
• Put the sausage into pan and chop it into bite sized chunks. Cook the sausage until it is browned.
• Add the onions back to the pan with the sausage and cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. DO NOT let it burn.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.
• Flour a surface and roll out one dough ball with a rolling pin until it is the size of a large pizza. Try not to let it get any thin spots or holes.
• When the sausage mixture is finished, use a slotted spoon to scoop half of it onto the dough and spread it evenly over the surface. You will save the other half for the second dough. Cover with a layer of half the shredded mozzarella.
• Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll, but tuck in the ends like a burrito before you get to the end of the roll.
• Lay it with the flap down on the cookie sheet and brush with the egg white.
• Bake in the oven until golden brown, approximately 25-30 minutes. After baking, let the bread rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Repeat process for second loaf.
• Slice and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

SAUSAGE SPINACH BREAD

Steps:

• Allow the dough to thaw; cook the spinach according to the package directions; drain well.
• Brown the sausage and drain off the fat, add the onion and cook until onions are soft. Beat egg and add about 1/2 to the reserved spinach and save the rest to brush over top of bread.
• Working with one loaf of bread at a time, roll the bread into a rectangle about 9 x 13 inches. Spread half of the spinach, sausage, and mozzarella cheese over the dough and sprinkle with 1/2 of the parmesan cheese. Roll up jelly roll style starting on a long end. Seal all edges tightly so the stuffing remains inside.
• Place on baking sheet and pierce tops of bread loaves with a fork a few times. Brush with the egg and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until browned. Repeat the steps for the other loaf of bread.

BEST EVER ITALIAN SPINACH

Steps:

• Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess water.
• Now, squeeze some more and set aside.
• In a saute skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic.
• Cook until garlic is golden brown (don't burn it!).
• Add spinach and seasonings, saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Break in eggs and continue to saute and stir until eggs are cooked and thoroughly mixed into the spinach.
• Drain any excess oil and transfer to serving platter.
• Sprinkle grated Paremesan cheese over the top, amount to your liking.

ITALIAN SPINACH

Steps:

• Place drained spinach in non-stick skillet and heat well.
• Add garlic and egg and stir until egg is set.
• Add Parmesan cheese, cover and remove from heat.
• Let sit for a couple of minutes for the cheese to melt.
• Stir and serve.