Steal of the Week: Baked Mozzarella Bites

I am always on the lookout for healthy versions of my family's favorite foods. One of our guilty pleasures is mozzarella sticks. I have never bought them frozen at the grocery and made them at home but on occasion when we are at a restaurant that has them on the menu, we indulge. So I was very excited to receive my August Cooking Light magazine and find one of their Super Fast 20-Minute Cooking recipes was one for Baked Mozzarella Bites! I decided to whip them up as an appetizer one night when I was serving pasta for dinner.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 (1-ounce) sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
• 3 tablespoons egg substitute
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as McCutcheon's)

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.
• David Bonom, Cooking Light  AUGUST 2011
• I used my usual Bertolli tomato sauce that I always have on hand for dipping and these were gobbled up in a minute! I am looking forward to making them again as the magazine suggests for an after-school snack. I also thought these would be a fun little garnish on a salad for us grown-ups although I ate my fair share of these too.