CHINESE CHEESE STICKS

Happy Super Bowl week! Most people watch the "big game" every year, mainly for the commercials, party food, and half time show, but this year the game means a lot more than it normally does. The home team is playing! I've lived in the great peach state my whole life and growing up you were a Braves fan and a Falcons fan. My childhood is filled with memories of Sunday afternoon football games, and there is no bigger Atlanta Falcons fan than my Daddy. I've seen him vertical jump over a coffee table in excitement and one time he even ran out the front door to hoop and holler after win. The Falcons came to Atlanta when he was just 3 years old and it's the only pro football team he has ever loved. He watched games with his dad, my grandfather, and since this is only the 2nd time ever that the Falcons have made it to the Super Bowl it's a huge deal. 

Luckily I married a good ole Georgia boy who loves his Atlanta sports teams. It felt perfectly natural that most Sundays at 1pm the Falcons would be on our TV. Plus, it's pretty awesome for me to know that my husband and my Daddy will always have something they enjoy so much in common. If you're any kind of Georgia professional sports team fan, you're familiar with heartbreak. The last time our state won a major title was in 1995 when the Braves won the World Series! 

If you don't have a horse in the race or you're only at a Super Bowl party for the food, then this here is the snack food for you! Everyone likes pizza and most people love the crunch of an egg roll (even if you don't like the filling). I love, love, love egg rolls of all types. A family member of mine who shares my infatuation with egg rolls said one time "you could shove $**t in an egg roll and I'd probably still like it". Same here. Ok, maybe not literally but you get the point. A mozzarella cheese stick rolled up with some pepperoni, fried in an egg roll wrapper and dipped in marinara, what's not to love? 

Give these a try and you won't regret it! The assembly of the roll may seem difficult at first, but after a few times it's easy to get in a rhythm. These are best made fresh and eaten immediately, but the assembly can be done ahead then fry them when it's time to eat. To make ahead, assemble the rolls following the instructions until step 9. It's very important to keep any uncooked egg roll wrappers covered with a damp paper towel. They tend to dry out very easily. Once they are made, wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap/cling film. Make sure each one is wrapped securely with no chance of air getting in. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow to sit at room temperature for 25-30 minutes while still wrapped in plastic. Heat oil and fry according to instructions.

Look at that cheese pull!!!

INGREDIENTS 

***The following amounts are for ONE cheese stick. It's up to you to decide how much you need!***

1 egg roll wrapper
1 mozzarella cheese stick
*Tip: leave mozzarella sticks out at room temp for at least 20 minutes before assembly.*
5-8 pepperonis 
Italian seasoning 
neutral oil for frying (canola/vegetable)
marinara sauce for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS


1) Set up work station. Have cheese sticks, pepperonis, any seasonings, egg roll wrappers, and a small bowl of water laid out. Keep the egg roll wrappers covered with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out. Keep a separate damp paper towel over the plate where you keep the already made rolls before frying.

2) Start with one egg roll wrapper laid out on your work surface. Place one corner towards you; wrapper should be in a diamond shape.

3)Lay cheese stick in corner closest to you.

4) Place pepperonis across the middle, overlapping a little, ever or just below the equator of the 2 outside corners.

5) Sprinkle a bit of Italian seasoning over the pepperonis. Red pepper flakes are an option here if you desire a little more heat. Any dried herbs will also work.

6)Start rolling cheese stick away from you towards the middle. Roll over pepperonis until they are just barely covered.

7) Using your finger, dampen the outside corners and in front of the cheese stick.

8) Fold the corners in and flatten where the wrapper becomes double layered. 

9) Wet the entire outer edge (shaped like envelope) and continue rolling away from you until everything is sealed. Pinch corners if needed and use water to seal any spots that don't look secure. 

10) Pour 1 to 2 inches of oil in a large skillet. It doesn't take much; just enough to come halfway up the sides of the egg roll.

11) Heat oil to roughly 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer to check, watch for when oil starts to shimmer and stick a chopstick or wooden spoon down into the oil. It should immediately bubble rapidly.

*Remember to keep rolls covered with damp paper towel while waiting for oil to heat up.

12) When oil is ready, use tongs to lower the rolls seam side down into the pan. The amount that can be fried at once will depend of the size of the pan. Do not overcrowd or allow them to touch.

13) Keep a close eye during the frying process, it does not take long. Check after about one minute to see if the rolls are ready to flip. When the bottom side is a deep golden brown, use the tongs to turn the roll over and cook the other side. 

14) When the entire roll is that beautiful golden color, remove to a paper towel lined plate and allow to drain for a few minutes.

15) Serve with hot marinara sauce of your choice! Sometimes I make my own, but we also have enjoyed Newman's marinara spiced up with a good dose of red pepper flakes! 

{That face your puppy dog makes when she wants a cheese stick.}