Baked Mozzarella Sticks and Bread Sticks
A double-dipper-dinner: Baked mozzarella sticks and bread sticks make a meal no time - especially if you have leftover pizza dough. (Or make no-yeast dough with this 5-minute recipe.)
Leftovers: It's what's for dinner.
Several years ago, that was the slogan at my house. My husband didn't mind them; and neither did my two little girls. Leftover spaghetti sauce and noodles was A-okay. But nowadays, I have more kids at my dinner table and they're older: Four kids ages 2, 4, 7, 10 plus my husband. Including myself, that makes a total of six. Thus, there are rarely leftovers.
Unless I plan for leftovers. Now it's more like: 'Planned-overs' or 'Cook once. Eat twice.' Or "Two for One." That's this month's theme for The Recipe ReDux.
And I'm giddy for it! I can't wait to have a whole 'cookbook' of recipes with BONUS benefits. Like borrowed time - I can shop for and make one recipe and have dinner for two nights. The true definition of #Winning.
I'll be bookmarking, pinning, sharing and actually cooking from all of this month's ReDux posts for months to come.
For this fun double-dipper-dinner, I used this recipe for my Homemade Pizza Dough and made a double batch. On night #1, dinner was our favorite Sriracha Chicken & Pineapple Pizza. And on night #2, the second batch of dough became these amazingly quick, no-yeast breadsticks.
To make it a meal - actually it was a fun birthday dinner for my eldest - I also created a Mozzarella Sticks recipe. I used a 'flax-egg' to help the Panko bread crumbs stick. Talk about a kid-pleasing, dietitian-approved-dinner:
- Antioxidant- and lycopene-rich marinara sauce (I used low-sodium)
- Whole-grain flour in the breadsticks
- Calcium-rich cheese - in a portion-controlled package (by halving the cheese sticks)
So go ahead: Double dip!
Print
Baked Mozzarella Sticks and Whole Grain Breadsticks
- Yield: 16 cheese sticks + 10 breadsticks 1x
Description
Double-dip dinner: Baked Mozzarella Sticks + bread sticks = A Meal in Minutes
Ingredients
- â…“ milk
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (or just use plain milk to help crumbs stick)
- Âľ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ÂĽ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed between fingers
- 8 mozzarella cheese sticks
- FOR BREADSTICKS:
- 1 recipe for Pizza Dough
- Cornmeal
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a shallow bowl, mix together milk and flax seed; let set for 5 minutes.
- In another shallow bowl or large plate, mix together breadcrumbs, garlic powder and oregano.
- Slice each cheese stick in half length-wise. Place about 4 cheese stick halves in flax seed mixture and submerge, pick up up one stick and let excess mixture drip off; dredge in breadcrumb mixture and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cheese stick halves. Then place baking sheet of cheese sticks in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove sheet from freezer, spray cheese sticks lightly with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 7 minutes. Remove to check if warmed through. Do not overbake or cheese sticks will turn into a puddle of molten cheese - still delicious, but not a cheese 'stick.' Optional: Broil sticks for a few seconds to produce a golden color.
- While cheese sticks are in freezer, (and after Pizza Dough has rest 15 minutes) divide pizza dough into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 8 inches long. Place on an ungreased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Sprinkle each breadstick with a bit of cornmeal. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven, about 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown.
Notes
If you have a convection oven, bake cheese sticks and bread sticks at the same time. If not, you can still try baking at the same time, just rotate pans half-way through backing times.
What's your favorite 'cook once, eat twice' dinner?Â
Check out all the favorites of our Recipe ReDux friends:
These cheese sticks looks so good. I am going to try these for my daughter. She will love them
Thanks Allie! Let me know what your daughter thinks!
I can only imagine the fun you must have when dinner rolls around. I love your recipe; my husband and two teenage sons would eat that in about five minutes. (Your 6 = My 4). Can't WAIT to try it. Pinning now 🙂
I hope you'll try our MMM pulled pork in the slow cooker. Easy, delicious, healthy and guaranteed leftovers.
Thanks Liz. You'll want to make more cheese sticks. They go fast! Headed to check out your pork yumminess!
I love the look of these breadsticks! Yum! Perfect for dipping!
The breadsticks are beyond easy Kelly...I'm reminded, why don't I make more often!
Yum! I love mozzarella sticks and my daughter has never tried them, nor has she had breadsticks before, so must make this!!
Ha! My younger kids had never had mozzarella sticks either. Older kids have. But everyone loved!
mmm, looks so crunchy, which is my favorite kind!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
Yes, they're crunchy Sarah Grace - especially with that extra blast of heat under the broiler!
Super recipe from a super mum!
Love being called 'super mum' by my fave Aussie friend. Bring back memories of the many months I spent in your beautiful country!
I love the idea of cutting the cheese sticks in half for better portion control. Genius!
I hope you get a chance to try them with your kids Amanda!
I tried to make cheese sticks for the Cabot contest, but I don't think I froze them long enough & realized I had to watch the oven. They turned to a goopey mess each time! At least they tasted delish! I'll obviously have to try yours 🙂 Great Redux
Ha! Freezing them is definitely the key. But you're right: Gooey messes are delicious too!
I've never tried making cheese sticks before, but aughhhh, these look so good! *-*
Mozzarella sticks were one of my favs when I was a kid so I'll make a baked and breaded recipe like yours everyone once in awhile. I love the idea of using a flax egg instead of a regular egg... I'll have to try that next time! PS there has been more than 1 occasion I've gotten the molten cheese pile- just as delicious!
This was such a wonderful theme! Making breadsticks from pizza dough is brilliant! And I love how you made your mozzarella sticks- I know my daughter will eat them up!
These would be a huge hit with my kids! I'm a cheese lover, too, so I'll have to make these very soon!!
Thanks Amee! Happy to hear your kids are cheesy too!
I love the idea of "cook once eat twice!" I'm so excited to be part of this group and can't WAIT to check out all of these amazing posts!!! 🙂