Panko-crusted mozzerella-croissant sticks baked with fresh basil

My son could live on pizza or anything that has bread and melted cheese. He loves things with a real crunch on the outside that have cheese oozing out and he also loves fresh basil on his pizza or in sauces. He asked if we could make our own homemade mozzarella sticks using panko crumbs and fresh basil. I tried a few variations but eventually discovered a way to not only make these easier and slightly less messy but as well even more rich and doughy by wrapping the mozzarella in croissant dough before rolling it in the panko-basil crumbs. Needless to say he approved. Ok so these are not even a little healthy but they are perfect for football parties, kids parties, or anytime calories don’t have to count. I buy good marinara sauce for dipping but feel free to make your own if you dare.

RECIPE TUNES (because everything is always better with music)
Two High by Moon Taxi • Friction by Imagine Dragons • Cry For Love by Harry Hudson

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cylinders of croissant dough, preferably ones that come in seamless sheets if you can find them. (See picture at the bottom of this recipe) If you cannot find them any croissant dough will work.
• 1 package of 12 mozzarella sticks or any cheese sticks you prefer. (Also known as string cheese.)
• 1 can of seasoned panko crumbs (See picture at the bottom of the recipe if you don’t know what these are.)
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 package of basil finely chopped
• wax paper
• an air tight rectangular container to freeze the sticks in a few hours. (wide enough to fit the full cheese stick covered in breading and panko crumbs.)

LETS COOK!

1. Remove all of the cheese sticks from their plastic wrappers and set aside.
2. Pour your panko crumbs into a large plastic zip lock bag
3. Finely chop your basil and add it to your panko crumbs. Mix it all up and pour the basil-panko mixture into a shallow pan. (You will be rolling the cheese sticks in these crumbs so make sure it is something big enough to roll the full-sized cheese stick covered in dough.)
4. Melt your stick of butter in a bowl (cereal bowl size works) and add your three eggs to it. Wisk them together well and have a brush ready to spread it on your dough.
5. Unroll 1 of your 2 croissant dough sheets and place 6 of your cheese sticks evenly onto the dough. Cut it so you have enough dough to roll each stick.
   
6. Once each stick has its own rectangle of dough (as seen above) brush the dough with your butter-egg wash and then roll the cheese and seal it on the ends and along the seam. Cut off any excessive-extra dough on the ends and then pinch them together tightly to seal.Once all of your cheese sticks are rolled in dough and sealed you will do the following to each one, one-at-a-time: 
7. Brush the top of your dough/cheese stick with more butter/egg and then place the brushed side into the panko crumbs putting slight pressure to get them to stick. Before you roll the stick brush the underside which is now on top (facing upright as seen below) with the butter/egg. Now you can roll your stick in the crumbs until you have enough panko covering most of, if not all of your dough.
   
8. Place each panko-crusted stick into a wax-lined air-tight container as seen below.
9. When all are in the container cover and place it in the freezer for a few hours to freeze.
   
10. After cheese sticks have had time to freeze, bake at 350 for 18 minutes. (If you are baking in a glass or oven-friendly china dish as opposed to using a cookie sheet or dark metal pan bump up the heat to 375.)

Here is the final gooey-cheesy product.

ENJOY!

INGREDIENT VISUALS