Fiction-Food Café: Braided (Sausage) Bread | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Braided Bread
(Hearthfire Add-on)

Health Restore
Carry Weight Increase

Salt Pile x 1
Sack of Flour x 1

This recipe is inspired by the braided bread food item you're able to make with the homey "Hearthfire" add-on pack for "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim", the fifth game in the "Elder Scrolls" role-playing video game series. Whereas the bread in the game is regular, plain homemade bread, which is cool, I was reminded of an awesome braided bread I often put together years ago that had sausage and cream cheese inside. I mean, sausage. And cream cheese (and other things). It's so scrumptious and pretty easy to make. This would be great for a game themed party, for breakfast, or seriously whenever.

"Skyrim" food was requested by @jannelandet on Twitter, and because I haven't played the game she kindly sent me the link to an impressive food item list. After perusing the list and imagining recipes for several of the items, I decided on this rendition of braided bread because I want to eat it. Now. And I'm sure the in-game characters would make meat filled bread if they could. It's very efficient/convenient to pack chunks of if you're working outside or traveling because it's basically a whole meal in one!

Note: The recipe below is for one large sausage bread but the amount of filling can be split between two sheets of crescent dough to make two thinner filled breads.

Braided Bread (w/ Sausage Filling)

Ingredients:
1 Roll (16 oz.) Ground Sausage
1/2 Cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Diced Onion
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Parsley
1 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest (optional)
4 oz. Cream Cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz. pkg)
1 Tube (8 oz.) Seamless Crescent Dough (or regular crescent dough w/ the perforations pressed together)
1 Egg, beaten

Directions:

1. In a large pan over medium heat, cook the 1st 4 ingredients until the veggies are tender & the meat is only a little pink (break the meat up into little bits with a spatula as you go). Turn off the heat & add in the cream cheese, broken into little chunks, & the parsley & optional lemon zest. Stir together until the cream cheese is melted & you have a creamy, heavenly mess that requires all of your will power not to eat on the spot.

2. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Unroll the crescent dough onto parchment paper laid flat on your counter (if using the crescent dough that is not already one single sheet, make sure you press the perforations together so it'll be seamless). Using a rolling pin roll the dough into a larger rectangle about 1' wide & 1' 6" long (give or take). Place the meat mixture down the middle about 3" in from the sides & 1" in from the top & bottom ends. Use a pizza cutter to cut 1" wide strips, or fringes, on the long sides, making sure that each strip matches up with another strip on the opposite side. Fold the strips up & over the meat at an angle, alternating left & right & overlapping so that there are no gaps in the sides. Fold the ends up & press gently to seal.
3. Transfer the sausage roll with the parchment paper it's sitting on to a baking tray & brush gently with the beaten egg so that the egg gets into all of the crevices (to give a better seal when baking). Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until a nice golden brown all over. Let cool & then cut into slices. Great warm or cold!