Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute, #SundaySupper New Year’s Bucket List

How do you define good fortune? If you had a fairy godmother or godfather, what would you wish for in 2013? Love to see your answers in the comments section.

After the traditional formal visit to the temple with family on New Year’s Day; on January 2nd, many females trade their kimono for blue jeans and join the throngs at trendy boutiques and department stores where good fortune fukubukuro bags await. To make way for 2013 merchandise, inventory from 2012 is sold at half price in sealed bags imprinted with the ? Chinese character for Good Fortune. (As well as characters for male?, female ?, and child ?.) 

A New Year's Shopping Tradition: Good Fortune Fukubukuro

The chic spots in town sell out quickly. Sisters and girlfriends are blessings at this time because the more in the group, the better trades and exchanges of items from the bags. Of course, venues catering to men also sell fukubukuro bags. Typically though the shoppers are women. (No surprise for anyone living on planet earth, right?)

Tokyo's trendy fashionable Harajuku district. (Click here for the photo credit.)

The Ninja Baker’s bucket list includes another trip to Tokyo where I can partake in this exciting Japanese shopping adventure. In the meantime, to commemorate this fun occasion, I’ve fashioned my own good fortune: Japanese-Style Ninja Baker sealed crescent roll Pockets of Prosperity. To indicate which filling riches await the consumer, I've sprinkled hints of gold to indicate a cranberry cheddar cheese filling or hints of purple to indicate a chocolate filling.

An omaneki-neko cat invites in good fortune on a tray of ingredients for
the Ninja Baker's Pockets of Prosperity.

Here’s the how-to:
Roll up a crescent roll with cheese, chocolate or whatever treasure you crave as an inside surprise. Gently, stretch the two ends of the crescent to create a bag. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and paint with a slightly beaten egg. Sprinkle gold, purple or whatever sugared color of the rainbow suits your fancy. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes.

Prosperity Pockets made from crescent rolls surround a celebratory bottle of sake wine.

P.s. If health is at the top of your New Year’s resolution list, you might consider visiting a health food store (like Whole Foods Market) to pick up non-GMO (no bleached flour, no artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils) canned crescent rolls. (I like the Immaculate brand.)

Speaking of resolutions, I’ve always been somewhat intimated by bakers who offer up their Brie En Croute oh so nonchalantly. It always appeared to be something super-fancy and extra-hard to make. The cheese baked in bread has been on my bucket list for a while. So, as the curtain opened on 2013, this Ninja Baker recharged her courage and created a Goat Cheese avec Organic Strawberry Jam en Croute. It was easy! Especially since I used the aforementioned canned crescent rolls. (Next time I’ll tackle puffed pastry.) Spreading out about 6 crescent triangles, I placed a round of goat cheese smothered with strawberry jam on top in the center. 

1-2-3: Cheese, jam, crescent rolls. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes.

Voilà! Goat Cheese En Croute.

With the skinny tentacles of the crescent rolls I wrapped the cheese up into a beautiful package. After brushing the sides of the Goat Cheese En Croute with a slightly beaten egg, I baked it for about 22 minutes. A golden orb appeared. Success! This Ninja Baker is happy =)

Goat Cheese En Croute

To read more success stories of talented bakers, chefs and food bloggers who’ve committed to conquer items on their bucket list, click on the links below. We are all part  of a weekly #SundaySupper Twitter event which takes place on Sundays at 7p.m. ET. Love to have you join the exchange of recipes and fun conversation!

Sunday Supper Specialty Breads:

• Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Spread by Daily Dish Recipes
• Homemade Tortillas by Supper for a Steal
• Brioche by Gotta Get Baked
• Alton Brown’s Soft Pretzels by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
• Braided Challah by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• French Baguette by Mooshu Jenne
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Belgian Waffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Gluten-free Bread by Happy Baking Days
• Monkey Bread by Vintage Kitchen Notes

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Butter Chicken by The Meltaways
• Gluten Free Ravioli by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Bagna Cauda and Potatoes by Shockingly Delicious
• Beef Wellington by Family Foodie
• Green Chili and Lentil Tamales by Mangoes and Chutney
• Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta by Noshing with the Nolands
• Butternut Squash Gnocchi by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Ropa Vieja by Magnolia Days
• Tah-Dig (Persian Rice) by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Fresh Ravioli with Ricotta by Comfy Cuisine
• Stuffed Artichoke by The Roxx Box
• Braised Short Ribs by The Messy Baker blog
• Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon by Hip Foodie Mom
• Classic Cheese Souffle by Jodi Can Cook
• French Onion Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
• Leaping Frog Chicken by The Urban Mrs.
• Fried Polenta with Spicy Tomato Relish by Mama Mommy Mom
• Savory Spinach-Filled Crepe Cake with Cheddar Sauce by Webicurean
• Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute by Ninja Baking
• San Antonio Puffy Tacos by Sustainable Dad
• Chinese Dumplings by My Cute Bride
• Falafel by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks:

• Creamy Lemon Fudge by Chocolate Moosey
• Zebra Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Baked Alaska by It’s Yummiclicious
• Faux Ice Cream with Bananas by Country Girl in the Village
• Divinity by Juanita’s Cocina
• Homemade Seafoam Candy by girlichef
• French Macarons by I Run for Wine
• Mocha Macadamia Trifle with Mascarpone Cream by The Foodie Army Wife
• Nut and Seed Nougat by What Smells So Good
• Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting and Dulce de Leche Drizzle by Damn Delicious
• Chocolate Meringue Cake (gluten free) by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Gluten-Free Golden Fudge Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Orange Rum Tiramisu Cake by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Peanut Sesame Honey Brittle by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Granola Bars with Dried Fruit by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Jamaican Blue Drawers by Lovely Pantry
• Mini Classic Key Lime Pies  by In the Kitchen with KP
• Donuts: Redux by Kelly Bakes
• Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés by Food Lust People
• Popcorn with truffle oil and asiago cheese by Ruffles & Truffles

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter each Sunday. The weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. There is also a  #SundaySupper Pinterest board with  fabulous recipes and food photos.

Wishing you good fortune, prosperity and a clear path to cross off at least one thing on your bucket list in 2013.

The Ninja Baker