Strawberry Cream Cheese Braid

What you need:
 An 8 ounce package of cream cheese
 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
bread dough that equals one loaf (you can use frozen dough thawed or make your own)  I used the Milk and Honey Recipe on my breads page.
About 1/4 cup granulated white sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Desired amount of strawberries (about 8 to 10) washed and sliced


What to do:
 1. Thaw bread dough(Rhodes dough or something similar) completely or make recipe of bread dough.
2. On lightly floured surface, roll out bread dough into large rectangle.  I did mine a little smaller                       than an average sized cookie sheet.
3. Let cream cheese soften to room temperature or soften in microwave, mix with powdered sugar and vanilla til creamy.

4. Spread cream cheese mixture into a rectangle in the center of dough (see pictures below).
5. Spread desired amount of washed, dried and sliced strawberries.
6. Sprinkle with aprox. 2 table spoons of powdered sugar as shown below and sprinkle strawberries and dough with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

7. Cut pizza dough (I used my kitchen scissors) in about 1 inch strips.  I left a bigger piece at both ends and just folded toward center ingredients before I started alternating individual strips.
8. Alternate folding dough strips over ingredients
9. You now have a beautiful strawberry cream cheese braid!  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar mixture.
10. Put on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees for about   20 minutes or until golden brown.I think this would be great with a can of apple pie filling or blueberry filling and cream cheese mixture as well.  I'll let you know when I try it.  Enjoy!  My friend Debbie was going to make this and top it with a powdered sugar glaze, which sounds delicious.  I'll let you know how it turns out. . .