Mozzarella Cheese Sticks -- I get an 'E' for Effort

Some girls walk away from relationships empty-handed -- they might be mad; their feelings could be hurt; and they might even have a broken heart. I seem to maintain distant friendships with my ex-boyfriends. I walked away from my last heartthrob with recipes and all the free cooking advice a girl could ask for. Thanks to my ex-boyfriend and culinary chef, Jeff, for not only giving me this recipe (which I revised slightly), but for being my 'phone-a-friend' and safety net when my insurmountable amateur cooking questions start to take up too much space in my brain. Another ex-heartthrob hung my AHOP neon sign that proudly hangs in my dining room window. He did an awesome job (thank you Mike)! I'd say I'm one lucky ex-girlfriend...lucky me!

These cheese sticks didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped, but for my first attempt, I think I did OK. They were good, I'll have to say that! I hope to have an appetizer lunch and dinner for 1st and 2nd shift soon. If I can master these cheese sticks, I'll serve them with the potato skins posted on June 26, and I just saw this awesome patty melt that would go perfectly with it. Click here.  I still need to test it out, but doesn't it look good? ♥  Update: Tested the Patty Melts on 8/27/12 - click here.

  

Here's what you need

Cut cheese 4” x ½” x ½” sticks (I think I goofed
some of these up -- it was my first try)

The production line

Ready for the freezer (2 hours)

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Recipe given to me by Culinary Chef Jeff 

• Mozzarella cheese cut into approx. 4” x ½” x ½” sticks. 
• 2 eggs
• Italian bread crumbs
• Flour
• Salt (I used coarse salt)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic power
• Set up a breading station with flour / eggs / Italian bread crumbs – left to right. Jeff didn't say how much flour and bread crumbs to use -- I guess it depends on how many cheese sticks you're making. I didn't measure,  but I started with about a cup of each, I guess.  
• Season the Italian bread crumbs with some coarse salt and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.  
• Use your left hand to drop the cheese stick into the flour, roll and coat, then drop into the egg.
• Use your right hand to pick the cheese stick out of the egg and toss into the bread crumbs, roll and coat. With this method, you don’t bread your fingers.
• Line a plate with wax paper (I didn't have any and used parchment paper). As each cheese stick is coated, place it on the wax or parchment paper.  
• Freeze for 2 hours.
• Deep fry – 1” of vegetable oil in a pan, heat on med-high until a drop of water crackles and spits (be careful).  This kind of scared me (all the crackling)...if you have a cooking thermometer, I would recommend you use it.  I'm going to buy myself one.    

Fry a few at a time until golden on the outside, but not too long or the inside will come out. Scoop out and put on a paper towel or a rack (like a cookie cooling rack) when done. I highlighted this part because I forgot to do that. I put however many the pan would hold which is why they probably didn't turn out as pretty as they could have (the oil cooled down too much with too many in the pan.) Also....I put the cheese sticks on a paper towel -- if  you have any cheese coming out, the cheese (sticks) to the paper towel. As you can see, my first time was a lot of trial and error.  

Serve with your favorite tomato/marinara sauce (fresh basil chopped into the sauce at the end will add a lot).