Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Bruschetta Naan Bread Pizza

       Hello, all! Sorry for the late posting, but I promise I can make up for it with this affordable, very easy, and incredibly delicious recipe that will make you look like a gourmet chef!

Breakdown of product prices
(*At my local Wegmans, of course!):


Food You Feel Good About Baby Spinach (6 oz.) – $2.49
Wegmans Pure Olive Oil (16.9 fl. oz.) - $4.79
Food You Feel Good About Traditional Naan Bread Package (2 loaves) - $2.99
Wegmans Artichoke Asiago Dip (8 oz.) - $3.99
Wegmans Bruschetta Topping (8 oz.) - $3.99
Bocconcini Cheese Balls  - ~$3.25/lb. (you only need ½ lb.)


Altogether the recipe costs just $19.88, and most of these items you will not even use all of! For instance, the olive oil will last for tons of other recipes and you should consider using the leftover Artichoke Asiago Dip and Bruschetta Topping as a snack with crackers or on toasted Italian Bread for a delicious alternative to garlic bread with your next pasta dish. Yum!

Let’s Get Cookin’:

Ingredients:
1/4 (about 2 cups) of the Baby Spinach
1 tsp Pure Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 loaves of the Traditional Naan Bread
4 Tbsp Artichoke Asiago Dip
6 Tbsp Bruschetta
4 balls Bocconcini, sliced into fifths

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375° and spray a cooking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.





2. In a medium bowl toss spinach with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.





3. Next, place both Naans on the cooking sheet and spread each loaf with 2 tablespoons of the artichoke dip.









4. Top each Naan with ½ the spinach, 3 tablespoons of bruschetta, and 10 slices of the bocconcini. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

5. Put the sheet in the oven and cook for about 9-12 minutes. The edges should be toasted and the cheese should be melted. 


6. Cut pizzas and serve immediately.





Tip(s)/What I learned: 
-Be sure not to use too much oil on the spinach or too much dip on the Naans or the pizza can get soggy.
-For crispier pizza, use less oil and dip and preheat oven to 400°, but keep a closer watch.
-The pizza can be hard to cut so to make it easier I suggest using kitchen scissors.
-Next time I do the recipe I want to use a little less of everything and put the spinach and bruschetta on top of the cheese for aesthetic purposes. I want the finished product to look a little more like this:





...but that's what happens when you're learning new recipes, right? You learn better ways and new techniques for future cooking experiences!




My last tip: most of all, have fun with the recipe
and don’t be afraid to add your own favorite toppings, like olives or peppers!


Enjoy! 

Monday, February 13, 2012

Be My Valentine Funfetti Cookies

        For this first affordable recipe I decided I would start off with something simple and Valentine’s Day-related. What is cheaper, easier, and tastier than Pillsbury Funfetti cookies in the shape of hearts?! Nothing! Most people have experienced the deliciousness of funfetti cake or cupcakes, but not everyone has taken advantage of the extra recipe on the side of the box for the cookie-version. So whether you've tried this before or not, fall in love with this recipe this Valentine's Day!




        You need 1 box of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix, vegetable oil, eggs, frosting, and sprinkles. Because I made them into heart-shaped cookies, I used the following additional products: flour and heart-shaped cookie-cutters.  You will also need a mixing bowl, a measuring cup, a spatula, cookie sheets, and a rolling pin. 






The following list is a breakdown of product prices (*Note: I shop at my local Wegmans grocery store):


Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix (18.9 oz.) - $1.09
Pillsbury Funfetti Vanilla frosting (15.6 oz.) - $1.79
Wilton’s Sprinkles Variety Pack (2.2 oz.) - $4.99
Wilton’s Ready-to-Decorate Icing (6.4 oz.) - $4.29
Plastic Heart-shaped Cookie Cutter - $0.49 ea.
*Vegetable Oil (48 fl. oz.) - $2.89
*Eggs (dozen) - $1.49
*Shortening (16 oz.) - $2.49
*All Purpose Flour (5 lb.) - $1.99


*Products like the vegetable oil, the eggs, the shortening, and the flour are all ones that most people already have and can use for a while in a variety of recipes. Even if you did not have these products before, however, this entire ingredient list would still only cost $21.51 +tax! Talk about a delicious bargain!


Ingredients:

1 pkg. Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 container Pillsbury Funfetti Vanilla Frosting
½ can Wilton’s Red Ready-to-Decorate Icing
Sprinkles



Directions:








1. Preheat oven to 375° and grease baking sheet(s) 
lightly with the shortening.






2. In a bowl combine the cake mix, oil, and eggs. Use the spatula to thoroughly mix the ingredients.











3. Lightly flour a clean counter top and the rolling pin and place the ball of cookie dough down in the center. Roll the dough to approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness and use the cookie cutter to cut out the hearts until you run out of space. Place those cookies on the baking sheet at least an inch apart. Re-roll the leftover dough over and over to utilize all of it.


4. Bake the filled cookie sheet(s) one at a time in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes each. 




5. After cooling for at least 5 minutes, remove cookies from the baking sheet and allow to completely cool before decorating as desired with the frosting, icing, and sprinkles. 

                                                                 Enjoy!

Decorating advice: You can also use food coloring to create different colored frosting and make the cookies look like conversation heart candies, or use the different tips included with the Wilton Ready-to-Decorate Icing to create little flowers on the hearts. Whatever you do, have a fun and love-filled Valentine's Day! 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Welcome!

Hello! Welcome to Jacklyn's Good Lookin' Cookin' blog! My name is Jacklyn. I am a novice baker and chef and this is my first blog, so this is a new adventure for me in so many ways. My hopes are that this blog will give readers new cooking and baking ideas, as I learn new recipes and share favorites right along with them. Readers who, like myself, are just getting started in the kitchen will be able to use the recipes I post and give feedback. 

My first post will be coming soon and will involve simple, tasty Valentine's Cookies. This one should be easy so hopefully everything will go smoothly and I won't burn myself or the cookies!

Feel free to give tips on cooking, baking, and blogging anytime!