BREAKFAST BRAID

Breakfast Braid image

I created this recipe years ago and was thrilled when it won first prize in a newspaper cooking contest. Stuffed with ham, cheese and olives, it's hearty enough to satisfy Santa himself.

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h10m

Yield 2 loaves.

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

3-3/4 to 4-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 tablespoons sugar
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 large eggs
FILLING:
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups diced fully cooked ham
1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup diced green pepper
1/3 cup diced onion
1 jar (2 ounces) chopped pimientos, drained
3 tablespoons chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
3 tablespoons butter, melted, divided
Additional Romano cheese

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, cheeses, soup mix, sugar, yeast and salt; mix well. , In a saucepan, heat milk, water and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until moistened. Add eggs; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., For filling, in a bowl, combine the cheddar cheese, ham, mozzarella cheese, green pepper, onion, pimientos and olives; refrigerate until ready to use. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll out each portion into a 12x10-in. rectangle. Place on greased baking sheets., Spread filling down the center of each rectangle. Drizzle each with 2 teaspoons butter. On each long side, cut 3/4-in.-wide strips on a diagonal, about 2-1/2 in. into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across filling. Pinch ends to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and cheese is melted. Remove from pans to wire racks. Brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with additional Romano cheese. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 183 calories, Fat 9g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 54mg cholesterol, Sodium 468mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 8g protein.