Sunday the biggest day of football for the year, you may want to try these wonderful football hoagies. They will be a real treat for any guest you are going to have for the big party. Pack slices of this bread with your favorite sandwich fillings, serve with Caesar Salad, or scoop out and fill with soup or chili.

3 loaves frozen whole wheat bread dough
1 egg
    1 tablespoon water

Thaw the bread dough until pliable, according to package directions. Remove 1/3 from the end of each loaf. Combine two of the 1/3 pieces and set the third piece aside.

Shaping the Football Hoagies

Mold each of the four larger pieces of bread dough into a football shape, about 10 inches long, by turning ends underneath and tapering. From the remaining dough, form a long, thick rope, about 1/4-inch in diameter. Lay a 4-inch long piece lengthwise on each football. Lay three 1 1/2-inch long pieces across each long piece to look like the stitching on a football. Secure the stitching on each end with wooden picks.

In a small bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush on footballs with pastry brush. Cover and allow the dough to rise until double in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake raised loaves for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

How to Serve Football Hoagies

To serve, set out trays of sandwich makings (meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, dressing, etc.) and let everyone help themselves, or slice and serve with Caesar Salad.

You can also slice the footballs in half, hollow the insides, and use as soup or chili bowls. Makes 4 footballs.