With the colder weather (and snow!) here, we crave bigger, heartier breakfasts. When the weekend rolls around, we indulge ourselves and spend more time putting together a breakfast we can all sit down and eat, instead of the morning-meal-on-the-run thing we do during the work week.
I tried this breakfast braid out on my family on a few occasions when we were all together. The flavors were good but the original recipe needed some tweaking. Most recipes I post are a collaborative effort with all of us pitching in during the preparation, but when it comes to desserts or bread-based recipes, I usually work alone, then solicit input from Eric, Kelly & Gilbert and Andrew (when we are fortunate enough to have him home) on the finished product. After a few unsuccessful tries on my own for this one, I got Eric, Kelly & Gilbert in on the action. That’s when it worked out and everyone agreed that it was ready for the blog. I should have asked for help earlier! This breakfast bread is wonderfully flavored, hearty breakfast to share with loved ones.
Sausage, Jalapeno & Egg Breakfast Braid
Sausage, Jalapeño & Egg Breakfast Braid (adapted from cookinglight.com)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 pound loaf of bread or pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 6 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 – 2 seeded jalapeño peppers, chopped
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the sausage. Cook them for 9 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
Saute the onion and the sausage together.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs for an egg wash. Stir in the remaining beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and cook the mixture for 2 – 3 minutes more or until the eggs are set. Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the beaten egg to the onions & sausage.
On a piece of parchment paper coated with cooking spray, pat the dough into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle. Sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese lengthwise down the center of the dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on all 4 sides. Spoon the egg mixture evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the egg mixture, then top the filling with the jalapeño peppers.
Layer the Monterey Jack cheese, then the egg mixture, cheddar cheese & jalapeno.
Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both long sides of the dough to within 1/2 inch of the filling,. Fold each short end of the dough up over the filling. Bring the side strips together over the filling, having them meet in the middle. Pinch the overlapped strips together to seal them.
Crisscross the side strips over the filling.
Brush the dough with the reserved egg.
Egg wash the dough.
Bake the braid at 425° F for 15 minutes or until it is golden brown. Let it stand 5 minutes. Cut it crosswise into slices and serve.
This breakfast has it all!
A hearty breakfast starts your day right! ~Linda
Sausage, Jalapeño & Egg Breakfast Braid (adapted from cookinglight.com)
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 pound loaf of bread or pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 6 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped
- 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 – 2 seeded jalapeño peppers, chopped
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the sausage. Cook them for 9 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs for an egg wash. Stir in the remaining beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and cook the mixture for 2 – 3 minutes more or until the eggs are set. Remove the pan from the heat.
On a piece of parchment paper coated with cooking spray, pat the dough into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle. Sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese lengthwise down the center of the dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on all 4 sides. Spoon the egg mixture evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the egg mixture, then top the filling with the jalapeño peppers.
Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both long sides of the dough to within 1/2 inch of the filling,. Fold each short end of the dough up over the filling. Bring the side strips together over the filling, having them meet in the middle. Pinch the overlapped strips together to seal them. Brush the dough with the reserved egg. Bake the braid at 425° F for 15 minutes or until it is golden brown. Let it stand 5 minutes. Cut it crosswise into slices and serve.