Sausage Cheese Braid Food

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.

SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND CHEESE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degree F, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal onto a large baking sheet pan.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned and no pink is left, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the basil and parsley, stirring to combine. Cool the sausage mixture completely.
• Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cornmeal onto a lightly floured surface and place the pizza dough on top of the cornmeal. Roll the dough into a 10 by 14-inch rectangle. Spread the cooled sausage mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the sausage. Brush the 1-inch border of the dough with the egg wash. Starting at a long end, roll the dough, jelly roll-style, into a log shape, pinching the edges closed as you roll. Place the bread, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet and brush the top of the bread with the remaining egg wash.
• Bake the sausage bread for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Allow bread to stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. To serve, slice the bread into 1-inch pieces and serve warm.
• In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and 1 tablespoon oil and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Use as directed.

SAUSAGE BRUNCH BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a skillet cook, sausage, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, drain.
• Add cream cheese, green onions and parsley.
• Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted, set aside.
• Unroll crescent dough on a greased baking sheet, press perforations together.
• Roll in to an 12x10 rectangle.
• Spoon mixture within 3 inches of sides and 1 inch of ends.
• On each long side cut 3/4 in wide strips.
• Starting on one end, fold alternating strips at an angle, forming a braid.
• Brush dough with egg and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.