Mozzarella Sticks (Soy, Fish, Egg and Nut-Free)

I was inspired to make a healthier version of Mozzarella Sticks.  This is what I came up with.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! :)

Please note that this recipe is soy-free if you use all soy-free ingredients and is fish, egg and nut-free.

Mozzarella Sticks

olive oil (for greasing the pan)

1 box Jiffy Pizza Crust Mix

1/2 Cup hot (NOT boiling) tap water

flour for kneading

(Make sure it's soy-free!)

6 Mozzeralla Cheese Sticks, cut in half

2 Tablespoons salted, full-fat butter, melted

1 Tablespoon soy-free Parmesan Cheese (optional)

(such as Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese (full-fat, original)

1/4 teaspoon soy-free garlic salt (optional)

(such as McCormick brand)

1. Preheat oven to 375^oF and grease a cookie sheet with olive oil.

2. Add water to contents of package in a bowl; stir until moistened.  (If mixture is too dry, add a little more water, 1 Tablespoon at a time until all contents is MOISTENED only.  It's supposed to be a bit sticky and lumpy.)

3. Cover bowl and let stand for 5 minutes in a warm place (about 85^o).  (I just put the bowl on the top of my stove top towards the back while the oven is preheating for this step.  There's generally enough heat coming from the oven for the dough to rise this way.)

4. Knead the dough several times on a floured board/counter top.

5. Divide the dough into 12 sections.

6. Wrap one section around one 1/2 of a mozzarella stick and place on greased cookie sheet; repeat until all dough and mozzarella sticks are used.

7. Mix melted butter with parmesan (if using) and garlic salt (if using) and brush sticks with 1/2 the mixture.

8.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes, remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter mix.

Serve these plain or with soy-free spaghetti/pizza sauce.

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)