Sausage Brunch Braid

Modified from Taste of Home's Quick Cooking (special edition)

12 oz bulk sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, cubed (I'm going to use 1/2 cream cheese and 1/2 cheddar next time. Ray and I aren't that fond of cream cheese and it's bit a overpowering - plus I used an 8 oz package, not a 3 oz, so I screwed up in many ways. Anyway, I think I got this figured out now. It was better this way - Ray still wasn't happy, but at least he ate it this time.)

2 tbsp chopped green onion tops (I used chives, as I have them in my window growing)

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley (or cilantro)

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls (if you want to half this recipe, as I did, just same the other half (it splits nicely) and make crescent rolls later in the week - unless of course you screw up the first time like I did with rolling out the dough, then it's good to have a back up!)

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic until meat is no longer pink and veggies are tender, then drain. Add cream cheese, green onion and parsley. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted; set aside. Unroll into a 12 by 10 in rectangle. Spoon sausage mixture to within 1 in of long sides and 1 in of ends. On each long side, cut 3/4 in wide strips 2 inch into center. Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle, forming a braid (if you are good at this, but mine look more like a mummy...). Brush dough with egg. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8-10 servings.