Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

I took my oldest son out a couple weeks ago to celebrate his 15th birthday.  He ordered mozzarella sticks with his dinner.  I sat there the whole time smelling them and sighing, I couldn't even taste my gluten free steak, my mouth wanted those mozzarella sticks!

They were always my favorite appetizer, the only one I would order at restaurants and I almost always served them at parties.  After dinner with my son, I just had to have some again!  And in fact they turned out so well, I have had them several times since then.  They actually work better if I freeze them, so I made some big batches that I can grab a few out and fry when the mood hits me.

I used to try to avoid fried foods, and always eat low fat.  I only ate fried foods as a special treat when eating out, but since my diagnosis, I can't eat them out anymore, so I've started making some of them at home.  I give myself permission to eat something, as long as it's gluten free, if I'm really craving it.  There are enough things in this world that I can't eat, I don't want to say no to anything I can!  As long as I don't eat donuts, fried chicken and mozzarella sticks every day, it's okay.

Today at the store I found these cute little mozzarella pearls

 I decided to use them instead of the traditional sticks.  I told my kids they were mozzarella bites, and my youngest kept mispronouncing them "Monsterella Bites" Since we are only a week from Halloween, that works works for me!  A great snack at your Halloween party and they seem to go further.  My kids were happy eating 5 or 10 of these tiny bites.

(printable recipe)

1 lb Fresh mozzarella cut into sticks

2 large eggs

¼ cup milk

1 ½ cup Gluten Free Bisquick

1 cup finely ground bread crumbs

1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Oil or shortening for frying

Put ½ cup Bisquick into a large plastic bag

Combine the rest of the Bisquick with the bread crumbs and Italian seasoning in a large, deep dish.

Put the cut mozzarella sticks into the bag and gently toss until coated (if you are using low moisture mozzarella dip it in the milk first).

Remove the sticks from the Bisquick and place them in a container with a tightly fitting lid (Tupperware works great).  Pour the milk over the stick, put the lid on the container and turn upside down and back a couple times until they are all wet.

Take the sticks out of the milk and put them back in the flour back, tossing again to coat.  

Discard all but about 2 Tablespoons of the milk and then beat the eggs into the milk.  Remove the sticks from the bag and dip them into the egg mixture then put them in the bread crumbs.  When there are several sticks in the bread crumbs they can be tossed gently back and forth until coated.

Fry in HOT oil in small batches, about 375 degrees for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese starts to leak out. 

Serve hot with your favorite marinara sauce.

*Most home use deep fat fryers do not go that high, so it is best to use a frying pan on the stove.  Only fry a few at a time, you need to put them in and remove them quickly.  If you have a metal basket to put them in and take them out with it works best.