Tuscan Splendor Spinach Braid Recipes

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.

TUSCAN SPLENDOR SPINACH BRAID

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Unroll dough. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press into 12x9-inch rectangle.
• Spread tapénade in 3-inch wide strip lengthwise down the center of dough leaving 1-inch edge on both ends. Layer spinach evenly over the tapénade. Top with cheese then layer with tomatoes.
• With scissors or sharp knife, make diagonal cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips diagonally over filling. Turn ends of braid up and press to seal. In small bowl, beat egg with water. Brush over top of braid.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut into slices.

APPLE DANISH BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended. Add egg mixing until smooth.
• Unroll 1 pkg. of crescent dough; do not separate.
• Arrange longest sides of dough across width of 12" x 15" baking pan. Repeat with remaining pkg. of dough. Work dough to seal perforations. (or use recipe creations, which isn't scored).
• On longest side of baking pan, cut dough into strips 1-1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep using pizza cutter (there will be 6 inches in the center for the filling).
• Spread half of cream cheese mixture evenly over middle of dough.
• Cut apple slices crosswise in half; evenly arrange apple slices over cream cheese mixture.
• Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
• Scoop remaining cream cheese mixture over apples; sprinkle with pecans. To braid: lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn.
• Continue alternating strips to form a braid.
• Tuck ends under to seal at end of braid.
• Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown.
• Remove from oven; brush with syrup using pastry brush. Cut & serve.

SPINACH SAUSAGE BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Then drain.
• In large bowl, mix spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic and cooked sausage.
• Press dough into 13x8-inch rectangle, seal seams, if any. I like to do this on top of silpat so it is easy to put on the baking pan.
• Spoon sausage mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of rectangle.
• Top with slices of both cheeses.
• 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 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; cut into crosswise slices.
• Serve warm.

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY AND FRITOS' SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread a generous amount of jelly on one side of a slice of bread. Spread a generous amount of peanut butter on one side of the other slice of bread.
• Grab a handful of Fritos' corn chips and scatter them on one slice of bread. (You can lighlty crush them if you want, but I never did.).
• Place the other slice of bread on top. Cut sandwich in half or quarters if desired.
• Serve sandwich with the remaining bag of Fritos because speaking for myself, I never knew when I'd enjoy another bag of Fritos again.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN & SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan, sautee the shallots & garlic in the olive oil.
• Add broth, tomatoes, beans and rosemary to pot. Season with black and red pepper. Bring to boil.
• Add pasta and cook 12 minutes. If the soup seems too thick for your liking add a bit more broth.
• Add spinach and cook until wilted.