Mozzarella Sticks

Who doesn't love cheese?! So gooood! And who doesn't love fried cheese?! Even better and delicious. I've made this recipe so many times now, I can tell that I make one of the most delectable fried mozzarella cheese sticks! No kidding! Read on and you will know. A friendly warning: this is lip smacking, waist widening food! So use your discretion! I bet you won't be able to stop once you start biting into this yummy sticks and letting that ooey gooey stringy cheese flow out!

Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients
1.5 cups breadcrumbs
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1-1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp salt
2-16 oz blocks of mozzarella, cut into half inch sticks
4 large eggs
1.5 cup vegetable oil
4 cups Marinara sauce, recipe follows

How to:
Stir the bread crumbs,Italian seasoning, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the Marinara Sauce.

Marinara Sauce:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)