Baked Mozzarella Bites ( I have adapted these from Cooking Light August 2011, Comfort Food Recipes)
Our grandkids LOVED these and liked making them too!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
- 3 tablespoons egg substitute ( I don’t like this – too many chemicals and changed it to actual egg – used one egg)
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon’s) ( didn’t like this either – plain old Ketchup did just fine!)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup panko to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and place the panko in a shallow dish.
3. Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces. Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko. Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 3 minutes or until the cheese is softened and thoroughly heated.
4. Pour the marinara sauce into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 30 seconds. Serve with mozzarella pieces. OR Serve with ketchup a bit on each plate! Our little ones loved that and it made this even faster!
