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Italian Spinach Braid

“I've been making this recipe for over 25 years. It's how I got my kids to eat spinach when they were little. This is the dish I'm asked to make the most.” Pat Jasper — Northlake, Illinois

6 ServingsPrep: 20 min. + rising Bake: 20 min.

Ingredients

1 loaf (1 pound) frozen whole wheat bread dough, thawed
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
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With Johnsonville Italian Sausage.
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1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
3/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon fennel seed
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, beaten
Pizza sauce, optional

Directions

Roll dough into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Transfer to a 15-in. x
10-in. x 1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let
rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no
longer pink; drain. Transfer to a large bowl; add the spinach,
cheeses, garlic, fennel seed, oregano and salt.
Spread beef mixture lengthwise down the center of dough. On each long
side, cut 1-in.-wide strips 3 in. into center.
Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across

2 of 2

Italian Spinach Braid (continued)

Directions (continued)

filling. Pinch ends to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 350°
for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza sauce if
desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece (calculated without pizza sauce) equals 366 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 57 mg cholesterol, 709 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 30 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2-1/2 starch.

Wine: Full-Bodied Red Wine: Enjoy this recipe with a full-bodied red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah.