Baked Mozzarella Bites {Skinnytaste cookbook giveaway}
This week I made one of the best football appetizers ever! Gina from skinnytaste.com just came out with a cookbook recently, and I am lucky enough to be giving away one copy of The Skinnytaste Cookbook– see the end of this post for details! These Baked Mozzarella Bites are a great appetizer without all of the fat. For four mozzarella bites, it’s an amazing 107 calories and 5 grams of fat. That’s pretty healthy compared to the fried mozzarella bites that you see in restaurants…
These mozzarella bites turned out really gooey, just the way I like them. What amazed me about these mozzarella bites was that you can use regular string cheese for the bites! No special Italian cheeses with names you can’t even pronounce, just good old string cheese. Many of the ingredients in this recipe are simple things that every home chef should own, so it really is an easy appetizer.
The simplicity of the recipe never ceases to amaze me. First you cut each string cheese into four pieces and freeze them overnight. You then dip them in flour, egg, and then a seasoned whole wheat bread crumb/panko bread crumb/parmesan cheese/parsley mixture. The breading is literally the hardest part, and it still isn’t very time consuming. You only bake them for about 5-6 minutes total, flipping around the 3 minute mark. Bam, wam, zam, done! 🙂
It was kind of difficult to cover the cheese entirely with the breading, but I managed. You just have to really press the breading into the cheese for it to stick.
After baking, the mozzarella bites oozed like all cheese should. It looked and tasted amazing. String cheese may look like processed junk at the store, but Gina completely changed that feeling for me. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
Baked Mozzarella Bites with a little bit of marinara sauce? Molto buona (very good) as the Italians say. Speaking of the Italians, I recently watched Analyze This and Analyze That with my dad! If you haven’t seen them, they are great movies based on the mafia in New York. Robert De Niro plays an amazing part in those movies, and he acts the role flawlessly. Now back to the bites!
These bites are definitely going down as one of my favorite football appetizers in my life. They taste like delicious mozzarella bites, but they are healthified! Kudos to Gina for creating this yummy recipe. Gameday will never be the same for my family…Unless we decide to make these mozzarella bites! The oozing cheese paired with the crispy breading and good marinara sauce simply cannot be beat. Yummy to the max!
THE GIVEAWAY!!! >> The Skinnytaste Cookbook is awesome! For a chance to win a copy of the book, leave a comment telling me your favorite Game Day appetizer. The book is packed with 125 brand new recipes and 25 long time Skinnytaste favorites, this cookbook packs quite the punch. If you are looking for delicious recipes without all of the fat and processed crud, here you go! This giveaway will run for one week. I will contact and announce the winner on Sunday, October 12th. The winner will be chosen randomly. Good luck!
Baked Mozzarella Bites
Make this for football Sundays this fall! So good!
Ingredients:
12 sticks reduced-sodium part-skim mozzarella string cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
5 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
olive oil spray or oil mister
Directions:
1. Cut each piece of string cheese into quarters, place the pieces on a baking sheet, and freeze for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
2. In a small bowl, beat the egg. Put the flour in a second small bowl. In a third medium bowl, combine both the seasoned bread crumbs, panko, Parmesan and parsley flakes.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip the frozen cheese in the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the egg, and lastly coat with bread crumb mixture. Put the breaded cheese on the baking sheet. Freeze the breaded cheese for at least 1 hour (this is a must or they will melt in the oven before browning).
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray the frozen cheese bites with a little bit of olive oil spray. Bake for 3 minutes, turn them over, and bake until melted inside and golden on the outside, watching them closely so the cheese doesn't come out of the breading, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately as baked mozzarella harden more quickly than fried.
SOURCE: RecipeBoy.com (shared with permission from The Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Homolka)
Disclosure: There are Amazon affiliate links included in this post.
Yum! This recipe looks delicious and easy! My favorite game day app is buffalo chicken dip!
I love to watch football and munch on buffalo wings!!
wings!!
we love soft pretzel nibs/bites with warm pretzel dip or warm cheese dip.
I can’t wait to try these. Our go to game day snack is wings or a chili cheese dip.
That is a tough decision, I am going to have to say buffalo wings though.
Skinny Dip!
I love 8 layer dip! Always a hit 🙂
I am new to your website but I will check it everyday.
There is nothing better than melted cheese. My mouth is watering.
We love hot artichoke dip with pita chips.
I love pigs in a blanket! Yum (but not so skinny)!
I love potato skins!
I am a huge fan of nachos with guacamole.
Fresh baked soft pretzels are a favorite around here.
Wings!
not a huge “game day” fan, but love the food – buffalo wings are my favourite!
I love lots of pizza topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, and bacon!
Diablo Shrimp, nachos & guacamole, & potato logs
Jalopeno poppers is my favorite!
Popcorn!!!
I love nachos–nice and spicy!!
I have to try these- looks & sounds delicious! I love chips and dip.
I’m a big layered bean dip fan!
Taco dip and chips!!
Homemade hummus and homemade pita chips (always better than store bought). I will need to try these now too!
My favorite game day appetizer is by far potato skins with cheese & bacon and walking frito pie (a snack sized bag of fritos with chili poured into it with cheese). YUM!
We like chips and guacamole.
Thanks for sharing Brooks!! So happy you liked them 🙂
You’re welcome Gina! They were very good and I got to share them with my friend and my dad. Hopefully I will meet you at a blog conference or something like that in the future!
I looove 7 layer dip! Skinnytaste has a great one on their website!
We love nachos!
I love Buffalo Chicken dip.
Spinach Dip & Chips
buffalo chicken dip! Thanks for the chance to win! And what a great thing to see a teenaged boy interested in healthy cooking!
Chips and salsa wins every time (especially the hint of lime chips!)
Wings and Subs!!!
Potato skins
I love buffalo chicken dip…so easy and everyone loves it.
Stuffed grilled jalapeno peppers!
My favorite is baked buffalo chicken jalapeno poppers. yum
Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Baked Buffalo Chicken Jalapeno Poppers are a favorite in my house for game day. Sometimes I even wrap them in bacon! Thank you for doing a giveaway and having such a neat blog 🙂
We love to have several snacks during the game but spicy deviled eggs are always a big hit!
Nachos! Just discovered your blog, by the way, and my class LOVES it! We read it every Friday before cooking class
I love chips and pineapple salsa for game-day appetizers. I will definitely have to try these, though. Thanks for sharing!
Nice job! My fave is buffalo chicken dip.
Gina’s Skinny Baked Jalepeno poppers are amazing for game day!!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/01/skinny-baked-jalapeno-poppers.html
Buffalo chicken dip or bacon wrapped jalapenos.
My son and I love to make football shaped (and colored!) rice crispy treats. It’s something simple enough that even he able to help, and he’s only 5. 🙂
i enjoy dipping tortilla chips in velvetta mixed with Ro-tel. YUM!
I love nachos & guacamole!
I love spinach dip on game day! We use either a rye loaf or tostitos chips for the dip. Delicious!
Buffalo Wings!!!
bang bang shrimp
Can’t wait to try these!! Favorite tail gate food is deviled ham dip w/ Wheat Thins
I always always always make an authentic Buffalo Chicken dip. Gotta use Frank’s!
I’ve never watched a game but my favourite hockey game snack is bbq chicken wonton nachos!
guac and flax tortilla chips!
My favorite game day app is the Skinnytaste buffalo chicken dip, can’t get enough of it!
I just started with a weight problem and just seen your site and all the recipes loom delicious and I will be trying a few. I would love to have one of these cook books.
The wings! Blue cheese 🙂
Chips & Salsa!
love buffalo dip with pita chips!
Wings are my favorite football appetizer.
Buffalo Chicken Dip!
Buffalo chicken wing dip is the best!
Skinny baked jalapeño poppers!!!
We love deviled eggs! A little pop of fresh creaminess!
Chips and dip!
Anything Skinny Taste!! Especially the Buffalo Dip!
We love to have potato skins with bacon, chili cheese dip and chips, hot artichoke dip and bbq wings!
Chili….
I love chocolate covered strawberries.
Boneless medium wings and ranch
buffalo wings! Dipped in ranch 🙂
Baked chicken wings!! Definitely going to try these mozzarella bites – maybe tonight 🙂
We always get together with another couple and we never do the same thing twice. Or rarely, anyway. But if you asked my husband, he’d say taco dip.
Those mozz cheese bites look fab! I’m definitely making them for the game day after this one. Already promised to do beer cheese soup for this one.
Buffalo chicken and blue cheese wontons! 🙂
Yum!! Mozzarella sticks are my favorite! Can’t wait to try these!
These Skinnytaste mozzarella bites are actually a game day favorite in my house!
Ground turkey chili is a go to for our football Sundays!!!
Potato skins! Yum!
Chili or baked buffalo chicken wontons!
My favorite is boneless buffalo chicken…with blue cheese dip ofr dunking of course…
Sports and 7 layer dip are always my favorite!
I love any kind of dip but spinach artichoke dip is my go-to!
7 layer dip is my favorite.
Buffalo chicken dip. Yummmmm
Jalapeño Poppers are my favorite. Half a jalapeño long ways, fill with cream cheese, and wrap with bacon. Put them on the grill. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Mmm these look good! My favorite game day app is meatballs! 🙂
Nachos!
Guacamole or hummus!
I would have to say Mozzarella Bites….since they look so good and I love cheese!!
Meatballs with sauce!
I love chips and queso! Can’t ever get enough!
Nachos!
Buffalo dip
Those look great! I love boneless buffalo wings!
My favorite game day food is POTATO SKINS!!! BUT Im going to have to try this recipe…just might be my new fave!!!
Nachos!
My favorite game day appetizer is Buffalo chicken wing dip! but am going to try these mozzarella bites! they look awesome!
I love the potato skins and the buffalo chicken poppers. Of course, all of the recipes are fabulous so it is hard to pick just one!
Wings, or any kind of dip/chips. These look good, though!
I’m thinking these mozzarella bites will be my new favorite ! And I would definitely love to win the Skinnytaste Cookbook !!
I absolutely love Buffalo chicken wing dip on Gameday (and it’s not because I live in Buffalo!) I would definitely try to make a “healthy” version of it if that even exists.
Chips and guacamole is a must on game day!!
My favorite game day app is baked jalapeño poppers. So yummy!
Love guacamole and chips!
Skinny Dip with chips!
Good ole chips and salsa or guacamole.
Jalapeno poppers!
BBQ chicken wings!
I’d have to say my favorite game-day snack is a Mexican dip w/ tortilla chips.
My favorite game day food is chili but these look delicious too!
Guacamole & tortilla chips; hummus & veggies or pretzels
Spinach artichoke dip and pita chips or hot wings!
Our favorite game day snack twice baked potatoes. Man this recipe looks amazing!
Buffalo chicken dip with Wheat Thin Reduced Fat Crackers.
Has to be hot cheese and architchoke dip with oven baked pita chips &veggie selection
i love a hot and gooey crab dip!
My favorite Game Day appetizer is chips and onion dip. I lighten both up by making the chips in the microwave and the dip with Greek yogurt. Sometimes. Sometimes I just eat the regular stuff. 🙂
Queso
We like boneless buffalo strips at my house but will be making these for the baseball play off game!
Spicy buffalo wings, although these cheese bites would be much healthier for me.
Fresh homemade guacamole and chips!
Homemade tortilla chips and guacamole
Buffalo Chicken Dip with reduced fat crackers
I love anything Asian inspired, so chicken satay with a spicy peanut sauce is my go-to appetizer!
Taco dip with chips – yum!
I love chips and dip!
I love a good veggie tray!
Guacamole and chips!
We usually have some nachos! Love football!
I love cauliflower bites baked in buffalo sauce. Tastes like buffalo chicken wings!
Wings! We love wings!
Buffalo Chicken Dip! Would love the cookbook!
Wings and Cheese Sticks, so I can’t wait to try out this healthier version! I can’t wait to check out the rest of your site too…my 10 year old son loves to cook, and I’m always looking for inspiration for him of male chefs! He’ll love trying this recipe out! Thanks!
Those look delicious! I love those mini pig-in-a-blankets, but they are not the healthiest choice…o.k. for Superbowl though!
We’d start with chips and guac then later on chicken wings. These mozzarella bites look great. We will have to try them.
Those mozzarella bites look so good! Favourite game day appetizer – buffalo chicken dip! Is it Sunday yet? 🙂
Stuffed mushrooms
Nachos or chips with dip
Jalapeno poppers and pizza make game days more fun!
Taco dip and chips. These look delicious, thanks for sharing
Buffalo chicken dip or cowboy caviar.
These look great! I will have to try them! My favorite game day appetizers are Spicy Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower Bites! I also love making Panko-Crusted Sweet Potato Baked Tater Tots! Both delicious and healthy!
I love dips – buffalo chicken, seven layer, spinach artichoke, and so on. Yum!
Love chips and Queso! With a hot bowl of chili. =)
gina has a great Asian meatball recipe
Nachos!
My favorite appetizer for game day is spinach dip and wheat thins cause I just love trying new healthier versions of the old time good stuff! I’m trying to stay on the healthy side of food now-a-days!!
Skinny buffalo chicken dip with celery. Mmmmmm! Everyone loves it!
Jalapeño poppers on the grill!
My favorite game day bites are Gina’s (Skinny Taste) stuffed mushrooms! I make mine with her vegetarian change, so they’re full of feta and spinach! So good!
Buffalo Chicken dip with celery
I like to skip the salt and go straight for anything chocolate!
buffalo chicken dip for sure!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/lighter-buffalo-chicken-dip.html?m=1
Loaded Nachos!!
Bourbon meatballs!
our favorite game day snack is wings and pizza
I love chips and salsa 🙂
Buffalo Chicken dip.
Those are delicious! I have made them myself! My favorite game day appetizer is nachos!
Potato skins, the best
These look awesome! Favorite game day snack-jalapeño poppers!
These look amazing! My favorite football appetizer us bacon wrapped little smokies with a brown sugar glaze. Yum!!
I make sweet potato chips Yum !!!
Spicy honey wings!
Loaded Nachos with lots of jalapeños
Carmel apple dip with apples!
Buffalo dip
Jalepeno poppers – baked. Low fat cheese. The best part, everyone thinks they are full fat and the real deal. The mozzarella balls look wonderful. May add them this weekend.
Jalepeno poppers – baked. Low fat cheese. The best part, everyone thinks they are full fat and the real deal. The mozzarella balls look wonderful. May add them this weekend.
loaded nachos!
I love 7 layer dip!!
Chicken wings
Wings & mozzarella sticks!
Chicken wing dip
When I have made mozzarella sticks in the past, I’ve dipped the cheese stick in cornstarch then the egg then the flour so that the egg holds easier. I’m not sure what this would do to the nutritional info.
We love popcorn and home-dipped chocolate covered pretzels!
My favorite game day appetizer is definitely Pretzels and Beer Cheese Dip!!!
These look delish! Gonna try them with my day care kids!
My favorite game day snack is Cowboy Salsa!
Pepperoni Rolls
We like taco dip!!!! Made with light sour cream ground turkey lettuce tomatoes olives and topped with lite shredded mexican cheese and whole grain chips for dipping!!! Yum!!! 🙂
If I had to pick a favorite, it would be cheesy sausage dip with a big handful of Fritos.
Mexican layer dip! But these look awesome and I need to make them!
My favourite is sweet potato nachos and healthy buffalo chicken bites!
I love about anything! I like popcorn with other things thrown in it, I love dips! Those cheese bites look yummy!
Wings! We boil them to get rid of a lot of the fat, then toss with sauce and broil.
Nacho dip!
I love spinach artichoke dip!
We love pumpkin dip with apple slices and graham crackers!
I love a good bowl of chili on game day.
Goose spread with water crackers.
wings or Buffalo chicken dip
I love variety, so I would choose a veggie platter with different homemade dips, and my new favorite: crispy multigrain crackers with goat cheese, topped with sliced figs, fresh rosemary from the garden, and a tiny drizzle of honey.
Chips and any kind of dip!
Nachos with guacamole & salsa verde
Anything buffalo flavored, really, but if I had to pick one, probably Skinnytaste’s Buffalo Chicken Strips.
I love lime tortilla chips with spicy queso dip 🙂
I can’t wait to try these, they might be my new favorite!
I like to make nachos with Gina’s recipe, Chicken Taco Chili, homemade guacamole, baked tortilla chips and tons of sour cream and cheese!
buffalo chicken dip
buffalo chicken dip is my fave game day eats!
Nachos with all the fixin’s!
Steak fries loaded with cheese, bacon, Season All and sour cream.
Fave game day appetizer are Chinese Chicken Wraps (made w/ lettuce wraps).
Nice and light, and everyone loves them!
Keep up the good work!!!!
My favorite game day appetizer is Chile Verde with tortilla chips!
Definitely taco dip with chips….although these look amazing! Definitely going to make these with my kids soon!
I love skinnytaste buffalo chicken potato skins.
i love buffalo wings!
We like homemade pizza, but I will be trying these next time. They look wonderful !
Chips and salsa. Thanks for the chance to win!
Cooked Shrimp & cocktail sauce!
Sausage dip!
Nachos!!
I love game day snacks!! Two of my favorites are shrimp wrapped with bacon ( can use turkey bacon) – depending on snowfall – I either grill or put in the broiler- spray the shrimp with olive oil spray before grilling – and i do like to marinate prior to cooking in a little lemon juice , white wine and garlic for about a half hour.
My other favorite would be a rollup – I use pizza dough – roll out in huge oval – give the dough an egg wash and then just create – i do one of chicken parm and cheese/ spinach, artichoke and mozz/ sausage and cheese – endless ideas – back at 400 – slice them up into pinwheels and serve with marinara – oh my I am now hungry
Hi! I was recently introduced to cauliflower buffalo bites so I plan to make them for next game day.
These look so good! My favorite game day snack is buffalo chicken dip!
I love nachos!
I enjoy your FB page and all your life changing recipes!
We love to have buffalo wings/sausage and peppers or homemade deluxe nachos. Truly hoping for a chance to win that awesome cookbook!
Our favorite gameday appetizer is soft pretzels with warm queso dip! Can’t wait to try the baked mozzarella bites recipe this weekend!
My very favorite is spinach dip in a sour dough boule. I make it with a lot of hot sauce and low fat everything else. Yum!
We love pepperoni rolls (made with turkey pepperoni, low fat mozzarella sticks and low fat crescent rolls, of course!).
I’ll take a bite of all the ones posted..I can’t pick a favorite!
Buffalo wings!!
Baked Potato skins!
Looks delish!! Thank you for sharing! My favorite game day (or any day for that matter) is homemade jalapeno poppers.
I love SkinnyTaste! My fav are her healthier chicken fingers’ 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m going to say these will be my new favorite!
We love football an chicken chilli
My favorite is Spinach and Artichoke Dip!
My fav game day appetizer is buffalo chicken dip.
Our fav game day appetizer is spinach dip with tortilla chips. We’ve lightened up the original mayo-based recipe by using low fat sour cream or greek yogurt.
I love chili with cornbread on game day. Especially when the game is being played in the snow. Fantastic.
Simple chips & dip are my favorite but these are on my list to replace that!
In our house it is chips and salsa all the way!
Guac and queso!! Yum!!
I love chicken buffalo dip and chips. Yum!!!
Skinnytaste Buffalo Chicken Dip, my all time favorite!!!
you’re too cute! i hope my 3 year old grows to love cooking the way that you do!! my favourite game day snack is chips of any kind.
Chips and dip
Chips & homemade guac!
I love Jalapeno Popper Dip!!
My favorite game day treat is clam dip!
Potato skins are my fave, hands down!
This sounds delicious!! my favourite game day snack is hands down are spicy bar-be-que chicken nachos … yyyyuuummmm!!
Chips, queso, guacamole and Salsa.
Buffalo chicken dip!!!
Buffalo blue cheese guacamole with chips is my personal favorite, but these mozzarella bites would definitely be a favorite with my family!
My favorite appetizer is to take Boursin Pepper Cheese, unwrap it and put it on a large plate and microwave it for about 40 seconds. Then you pour a jar of salsa over it. Serve with whole grain tortilla chips. The cheese is all melty. It is amazing and everyone thinks you went to so much trouble. Love reading your posts. I get so many great ideas.
It would have to be between chicken strips and sliced lobster pizza.
My favorite game day food is pepperoni pizza puffs!!! Thanks:)
Hey Brooks, My favorite game day appetizer is Hot Artichoke Cheese Dip with diced green chiles. Big fan of the San Diego Super Chargers. Love your jersey…GoBolts!!
My favourite appetiser has to be baked buffalo cauliflower bites! Good for you and delicious 😉
It seems as though Buffalo is a favourite!
Home made Clam Dip!
Salsa and guacamole! Thanks for the chance to win – those look delicious!
My favorite game day food is hot wings!
Nachos and cheese!
Fried chicken strips.
Brownies!
Chips and guac!
chicken strips and dip