Ham 'n Eggs Brunch Braid

Lisa Stueber (from Pampered Chef)

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 c milk

8 eggs, divided

1/4 tsp salt

dash ground black pepper

1/4 c red bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp sliced green onions with tops

1 tsp butter or margarine

2 pkg (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

1/4 lb thinly sliced deli ham

2 oz (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Place cream cheese and milk in 2 quart bowl. Microwave on high 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Separate 1 egg, reserve egg white. Add the yolk and remaining 7 eggs, slt, and black pepper to cream cheese and milk mixture. Whisk to combine.

Chop bell pepper. Add with onions to egg mixture. Melt butter in frying pan over medium-low heat. Add egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set but still moist. Remove pan from heat.

Unroll 1 pkg of crescent dough (do not separate). Arrange longest side of dough across width of 12x15 baking stone. Repeat with remaining pkg of dough. Using dough and pizza roller, roll dough to seal perforations. On longest sides of the baking stone, cut dough into strips 1-1/2 inches apart, 3 inches deep using paring knife (there will be 6” in the center for filling). Arrange ham evenly over middle dough. Spoon eggs over ham. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over eggs. To braid, lift strips of dough across filling to meet in center, twisting each strip on turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Brush lightly beaten egg white over dough.

Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cut into slices.