What's better than a fried cheese stick? One that tastes like your favorite Chinese restaurant appiteaser! This takes a bit to make and frying can be a little tricky to balance the golden color with getting the cheese all melty (ooooo that pull apart game), but it's worth it. Really a surprise for guests and your taste buds.

Ingredients:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 8 ounce package imitation crabmeat, chopped (or for a decedent treat, use lump crab and increase to 10oz)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts) (roughly 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 3/4 cups panko bread crumbs
Dash of pepper (I like using white, but feel free to use black)
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with parchment or waxed paper so the paper hangs over the sides of the pan. In a medium bowl stir together cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, crab meat, green onions, powdered sugar, salt, and garlic powder until combined. Transfer to prepared pan. Spread evenly until smooth and flat. Freeze 30-45 minutes until solid.
Lift cream cheese mixture from pan using the parchment paper. Cut mixture in half. Cut each half crosswise into 8 sticks (you should have 16 4x1-inch sticks).
Place flour in a shallow dish with a dash of pepper. In a second shallow dish beat together eggs and water. In a third shallow dish place panko.
Dip cream cheese sticks into the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg mixture. Coat with panko. Place breaded sticks on a baking sheet and freeze 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°F. In a medium saucepan heat 1 1/2-inches of oil to 375°F. Fry 3 to 4 sticks at a time until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Keep fried sticks warm on a baking sheet in the oven while frying remaining sticks. Keep uncooked sticks in the freezer until ready to fry. Let oil return to temperature between batches.
Serve with your favorite sauce! I like a spicy marinara, but some like their favorite sweet chili sauce. Explore, have fun, show off who can pull the cheese the longest!

~sizzle sizzle burn~