My Favorite Recipe

I was inspired by everyone's Monday Menu posts and by an email asking for a recipe swap, so I decided to cook one of our favorite dishes tonight and share the recipe. Plus, I swore to David that after the Bar I'd be a good wife and make all of his favorite foods (this is one of the top 3). We call it the "round thing," but I'm pretty sure the proper name is a chicken, broccoli, and cheese braid (or something to that effect). It takes about 35 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook.

First, preheat your oven to 375. Next cook 2-3 boneless chicken breasts in olive oil and season moderately. I use garlic, onions, and some Mr. P's dried seasoning. After the chicken is thoroughly cooked dice/shred it into small pieces (2 cups) and set aside.

Wash and chop 1 cup of fresh broccoli into dime size pieces.

In a large bowl mix: broccoli, chicken, 1/2 can of english peas (drained...or you can use red bell peppers chopped), 1 garlic clove pressed (or garlic powder), 1.5 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of dill weed, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

I know it looks odd at this point, but trust me it is soooo good.

Now for the more challenging part (and you will see why I included pictures). Take 2 cans of croissant rolls and a large round baking pan (preferably a pampered chef round stone or pizza stone if you have one). You want to unroll the dough and take each triangle piece and form a round circle like a sun (see picture below). Make sure to lay the pieces close to each other and use both cans. Press the pieces together to seal the ring.

Fill the ring with heaping tablespoons of the mixture.

Now bring the ends of the dough (the pointy parts that stick out) over and pinch them in to seal the mixture inside the ring. Baste with an egg white once sealed so that the tops of the croissant will come out crispy and goldenPlace in the oven for 20 minutes (or until golden). You can also fill this ring with pretty much anything you want...pampered chef has great Mexican and Pizza ring recipes.