Sausage Pepper & Cheese Bread

My daughter Tonia loves this dinner. I like this for a dinner in it's self, but others may want some soup to go with it.

SAUSAGE PEPPER & CHEESE BREAD

(Makes 2 loafs)

Ingredients:

*1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

*1 cup red pepper, chopped

*1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

*1 1/4 cups warm water

*2 package dry active yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)

*2 tablespoons sugar

*1 1/2 teaspoon salt

*1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

*1/4 cup butter, softened

*2 eggs, room temperature

*4 1/4 cups all-purpose

Directions:

~Brown sausage, and red pepper until sausage, breaking up sausage as it cooks.

~Cook until sausage is no longer pink.

~Drain and cool, set side.

~In a large bowl combine warm water, yeast & sugar.

~Cover with plastic wrap and set sit for 10 minutes, or until yeast becomes foamy.

~Add salt, italian seasoning, butter, 1 egg, and 2 cups of flour, beat until smooth.

~Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough soft.

~Knead for 8-10 minutes.

~Place into a greased bowl, turn dough so greased side is up.

~Cover, let rise in a warm draft-free area for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

~Punch dough down.

~Divide into 6 equal pieces.

~Roll each dough section into 4x14 inch strips.

~Stir cheese into sausage.

~Spoon sausage mixture down each strip.

~Pinch long edges together on each strip, making them into ropes.

~Braid three ropes together. Repeat with other three ropes.

~Place on a greased baking sheet.

~Cover with a clean damp dish towel.

~Let rise in a warm draft-free area, about 1 hour.

~Beat egg in a small dish.

~Gently brush tops of loaves with egg.

~Bake at 400 degrees, for 25 minutes.

~Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.