You Braided A Taco? ...What?

Crescent Roll Dough

Pinterest:  The Salty Pineapple
Yield:  1 batch (equivalent to 1 can)
Time:  20 minutes, 2 hours

Yeast
1 tbsp (1 packet) dry active yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar

3/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2-4 cups flour

Bloom yeast with warm water & sugar, 10 minutes.

Add yeast to sugar, salt, milk, butter, & egg.  Add 2 cups of flour, beating till smooth.  Add 3rd cup of flour, mixing well.  Add remaining flour until dough is no longer sticky/pulls away from bowl.  Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth & elastic.  Place in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or clean towel, & let rise until doubled, 1 1/2-2 hours.  Punch down.

Taco Braid

Pinterest:  Tanya and Jessica (3 Moms and A Kitchen)
Yield: 4-6 servings
Time:  45 minutes

Seasoning Mix
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic powder

1 batch crescent roll dough, rolled out to fit cookie sheet
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/3 cup water (for taco seasoning)
1 can refried beans
1 can corn
1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.  Brown ground beef with seasoning mix over medium heat.  Drain meat.  Add taco seasoning & water.  Bring to boil & reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.  Return heat to medium and add refried beans.  Heat through.  Add corn and heat through.  Set meat mixture aside.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay out crescent roll dough on it.  Using a pizza cutter, cut about an inch in on each side, towards the middle of the dough.  Space about half an inch in between cuts down the length of the side.  Spread meat mixture down the middle of the dough.  Top with cheese.  Fold crescent roll strips over filling.  Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

More Info

Crescent Roll Dough

Okay, very first thing?  WARM WATER.  Not hot.  If you use hot water, you're going to kill your yeast.  To check the temperature of the water, run it over the inside of your wrist; people tend to be more temperature sensitive in that area, and it very well may help prevent you from making your water too hot.
But Tee...how do we actually make crescent rolls with your crescent roll dough?
I'm glad you asked!  Here's what you do:

1. Roll out dough into a circle, as thick or as thin as you please.
2. Brush dough with softened butter.
3. Using a pizza cutter...well, cut like a pizza.  anywhere from 8 to 12 slices (triangles), depending on how large you want them.
4. Roll each slice from the widest part to the point, with the butter on the inside.
5. Bake at 350°, 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Taco Braid

Okay, this differs a pretty good deal from the original recipe.  Not by too much, I guess, though.  For starters, the original recipe called for a can of drained black beans, and a can of drained diced tomatoes.  I improvised with what I had, that's all.

Overall Meal

The taco braid is pretty much a complete meal...it's got starch, protein, and a vegetable (yes, corn is a starch, but it's also a veggie).  But maybe you'll want to top it with some sour cream...or salsa.  Do whatever with it, make it your own...but most importantly...enjoy it!
Oh, and sorry I don't have videos for these...I did record it, but the recording program (for some reason) decided to forget my audio input.  So you'll just have to live with the pictures.

UPDATED 02/13/14:

• Added links under recipe titles to credited source

Questions?  Leave a comment!