Brunch Braid - 6/8/2011

¾ cup fresh asparagus spears, cut into 1” pieces (could also use peas or spinach)

½ cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, whatever you have on hand)

1 egg, beaten, to use in brushing the top of the finished braid

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, lemon juice, green onion – if used - and mustard, in other words, all the ‘seasonings’.

Add the eggs, ham, asparagus, stir, and set aside while you prepare the dough.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Locate a baking sheet and give it a good dose of flour.  Open both Crescent Roll packages, and unroll onto the floured cookie sheet, but do not separate into the scored sections.  Instead, lay the two unrolled doughs side by side (rectangle will result) on the cookie sheet, and use a rolling pin (or just press with your fingers) to flatten the dough gently until you see no more perforations.   (If you have parchment paper, put that on the cookie sheet first, it’ll make it easier to lift the cooked braid off when serving.  Otherwise, you will need to loosen it w/a spatula, since the area wasn’t greased.).

Scoop the egg/ham/asparagus mixture evenly down the center of the dough.  Use a pizza cutter to cut strips about 1 ½” wide straight out from the mixture, so you can fold them over like a braid.  The center third of the dough holds the filling, while each side has the strips cut perpendicular to the filling,  ready for braiding.

Sprinkle with the ½ cup shredded cheese.

Start at one end, lift one strip of dough, twist it one turn and lay across the top of the filling.  Continue, alternating strips to form a “braid” effect.  Fold top and bottom edges of the braid under to seal.  Brush beaten whole egg over the dough. 

Bake 20-30 minutes, until golden.