Cream Cheese Pecan Braid

It’s a rainy Sunday here in our neck of the woods. Growing up on a farm, I have always loved a good, rainy day. When the rain comes down, it not only quenches the thirst of the dry soil and nurtures the farm, but it brings a sense of joy and contentment to our home knowing that God is looking after the land and all is well.

Dan and I have had such a relaxing weekend and the weather is finally warming up! Yesterday, our niece and nephew came over to the farmhouse because they wanted to help us do yard work! We had to plant some new grass and they thought that sounded so fun! At what age is “work” no longer “fun”!?!

Here are some action shots of the kiddos at play… I mean at “work.”

Great little helpers!

The rain has made today kind of a lazy day. And what is a lazy day without some good, cozy food! I whipped up a super-easy breakfast braid this morning. It was so ooey, gooey and delicious… finger-lickin’ good!

Cream Cheese Pecan Braid

Cream Filling:
1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.)
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. milk
1 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar

The Braid:
1 can biscuits (plain or butter)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. Cinnamon
Pecans (about 1/4 – 1/2 c.)
1 Egg white

Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees (use suggested temp. for canned biscuits)

1) Lay out biscuits on a greased cooking sheet and flatten into a rectangle about 3/8″ thick.
2) Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp. sugar and about 1 tsp. cinnamon onto the biscuit dough.
3) Prepare filling by beating the cream cheese until smooth. Then, add in the milk, vanilla, brown sugar and sugar, mixing until smooth.
4) Spread the filling down the center of the pastry.
5) Toast the pecans on medium/low heat until fragrant. Do not burn!
6) Cut up the pecans and sprinkle down the center of the pasty on top of the filling. Reserve a few whole pieces to place on top.
7) Cut slits into the dough on each side of the filling – each strip should be about 1/2″ wide.
8)Pull each strip up and across the filling angling downward. Alternate sides of the pasty using this same technique to create the braid. Tuck in the ends. Note: try not to get the dough too thick in any part of the pastry so it will cook through evenly.
9) Brush the outside of the pastry with the egg white and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp. sugar on top. Also, place any extra pecans on top.
10)Bake according to biscuit directions – about 11-15 minutes.

Serve warm or cooled – Makes 8-10 servings.

After a lazy morning, we are now out and about coyote hunting (Dan’s absolute favorite pastime). The hounds are out running a trail as I write this from the comfort of our warm, dry truck. I can hear their yelping off in the distance as they track another coyote.

Dan has been coyote hunting with his Dad and a group of men in this area since he was old enough to walk. I think it’s safe to say he’s got it down! My favorite part of watching it all is the bond between the hunter and his hounds. I observed today as Dan called in one of his hounds from about 200 yards away. Funny-man yelped, “oeh,oeh,oooeh,ahoo”…hard to put into writing the sounds of the call his hounds have come to know so very well. I was amazed at how quickly the hound ran back to us with ears a flappin’. I can’t even get Copper to fetch half the time!

Well I’d better get going now, we have some more dogs to catch! I hope your Sunday is full of fun and relaxation!

-Rustic Honey