We all have been there. It’s 5:00pm, the children are getting restless, the phone is ringing, and you are scrambling to put dinner on the table. Add a newborn to the mix, and well, Mommies quickly begin to dread the daily question, “What’s for dinner?” In the midst of welcoming home a new baby, dinner is usually whatever you can eat with one hand, or the nearest take-out restaurant! When a friend has a baby, part of my “gift” to her is I bring over a couple meals for her family to enjoy, without her having to lift a finger! Over the next few weeks, in honor of Felicia and her growing family, I will be sharing these tried-and-true recipes that have quickly become my family’s, and many of my friends’ families, faves!

Chicken and Broccoli Braid

Ingredients:
– 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
– 1 cup broccoli, chopped
– ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
– 1 garlic clove, pressed
– 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
– ½ cup mayonnaise
– 2 tsp dried dill
– ¼ tsp salt
– 2 packages (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
– 1 egg white, lightly beaten
– 2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Preparation:
1. Preheat over to 375°F. Mix chicken, broccoli, pepper and garlic in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Add shredded cheese to vegetable mixture, mix gently.
3. Add mayonnaise, dill and salt to the mixture and set aside.
4. Unroll 1 package of crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of baking sheet. Repeat with the second package of dough. Roll the dough (or gently knead with your fingers) to seal perforations. On longest sides, cut dough into strips 1 ½ inches apart, 3 inches deep. (It will look like a rectangle blanket with tabs along each side.)
5. Spread filling evenly over middle of the dough. To braid, lift strips of dough across mixture to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid.
6. Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown.
*Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. If the braid seems too complicated, simply roll the dough out flat, lay the chicken mixture in the middle and bring the sides in to create a big ball of dough filled you’re your chicken mixture in the middle.

This recipe was first discovered in The Pampered Chef cookbook, Main Dishes: Recipes at the Heart of Every Meal. 

Kitchen Tip-of-the-Day:
Crescent dough is a versatile food that I always keep on hand. Whether stuffed with scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, turkey, craisins and cream cheese for lunch, or chocolate chips for a yummy treat at any of time, you can’t go wrong!

This article was brought to you by Zoolu!. Megan Glynn, the author, is the mom of two young boys as well as a Childbirth Educator, Doula, and Co-Founder of Zoolu!, an online store filled with thousands of the best name-brand and personalized baby and Mommy items! Fan Zoolu! on Facebook today for your chance to be “zapped” with a $20 Gift Certificate!