Tailgating Tuesdays: Fried Mozzarella Sticks

We are back for another round of Tailgating Tuesdays, so I thought it was finally time to share this delicious little recipe for homemade mozzarella sticks.The Pioneer Woman does it again with this recipe. Her cookbooks are my favorite, and this recipe does not disappoint. I mean it's fried cheese... what's better than that? Paired with a little marinara or ranch dressing, this is the perfect appetizer for your next football party!

Ingredients (makes 32 pieces):

16 string cheese sticks, removed from their wrappers

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 cups panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

canola oil, for frying

marinara or ranch, for dipping

Directions:

1. Slice the string cheese pieces in half for a total of 32 pieces. 

2. Place the flour in a small bowl. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.

4. In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the parsley flakes. 

5. One by one, roll the mozzarella pieces into the flour, then dunk into the egg mixture, then roll into the panko mixture. 

6. Place the coated mozzarella pieces on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 20-30 minutes to flash freeze.

7. To fry the mozzarella, heat 1.5 inches of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mozzarella pieces 6-8 at a time. Watch them closely and turn them over to brown evenly. They should cook for less than 2 minutes. Make sure the cheese doesn't start to bubble and leak!

8. Remove ready pieces to a paper towel-lined plate and serve immediately with warm marinara sauce or ranch dressing.

 Enjoy!