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Mozzarella Sticks-- The Big Cheese of Appetizers
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Pork rinds as a be-yoo-tiful breading? Oh YES!
If you were lucky enough to be born and bred in the State of Wisconsin, it comes as no surprise the great power of cheese can bring about world peace.
Now, thanks to pork rinds, you can proclaim your love of all things Wisconsin through cheese, and maybe bring about some of your own world peace in the process.
Gluten-free and very low-carb, these Mozzarella sticks are great for induction!
I was desperate for mozzarella sticks, and I needed something to use for breading, so, spying a bag of pork rinds (I'd burned out on these in 1984) that had been taking space in my pantry for months, I decided it was time to use or keep them because of guilt and regard them with a pained grimace. With the savory herb blend I found in the cabinet, I found a happy medium: pork rind crunch coupled with a nice flavor.
These are not technically the healthiest food you're ever going to enjoy, but as an occasional addition to whole foods, these are a fun deviation.
Now, before you lick the screen, read the instructions and prepare for cheesy, melty, gooey bliss, even if you're sure you thought you could never tolerate pork rinds...
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
1 cup crushed pork rind recipe
1 egg, lightly beaten
16 pieces of string cheese
canola oil (enough to fill a skillet 1/2")
Preheat oil in the skillet over medium heat.
While the oil is heating, crush the pork rinds in a gallon ziplock bag with a rolling pin (or crumb using a food processor) until the pieces are bread-crumb-fine. Add Mrs. Dash (or other preferred seasoning) to the bag.
Lightly beat egg in a bowl. (This is going to be the egg bath.)
Taking a string cheese, completely cover with egg in the bowl. Transfer the cheese to the crumb/spice bag.
The crumbs will not necessarily want to stick to the cheese. That said, and because the cheese should be completely covered (to keep ooze at bay in the pan), you are going to want to firmly "mold" the rind crumbs around the cheese while the cheese is still in the bag. (I mean firmly. Not green-Hulk crush-the-cheese tough) (down boy), but enough to invalidEmbedTag the breading bits into the cheese as best you can before removing from the bag.
Cook in preheated oil until the coating is lightly browned, about 2-4 minutes, turning once, and cooking for 1-4 more minutes. Move to a plate covered with a paper towel to remove excess fat.
Serve warm with ranch dressing or marinara sauce.
This recipe makes 16 mozzarella sticks.
Per cheese stick:
Nutritional information: Calories: 125, Carbohydrates: 1g Fiber: 0 g, Net Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 11 g, Fat: 10 g.
Tip 2: A too-cold pan will yield greasy sticks. Too hot, and the cheese will melt out of the crispy crust
Tip 3: Don't forget to cover the ends with rind coating as well, lest the cheese ooze from the edges.
