The Quest

One of Jess and I's favorite places to eat is The Cheesecake Factory. Unfortunately, we don't have on in Canton... so every time we go anywhere near Cleveland we make sure to stop. Our FAVORITE appetizer on their menu is deep fried mac and cheese. Non-believers beware, this stuff is amazing. I've been on a quest to master the art of homemade deep fried mac and cheese ever since the first time we had it at The Cheesecake Factory to satisfy my cravings in between trips to Cleveland. The journey wasn't an easy one... but we might have found a winner during our frying expeditions last night. I'm not afraid to admit that an attempt at this recipe with a homemade mac and cheese recipe failed miserably, but feel free to try it with any mac and cheese leftovers... the key is to freeze them. Quite honestly, I probably will use homemade mac and cheese next time because the Stouffer's lacked seasoning where it provided ease of use.

Deep Fried Mac and Cheese

- 1 frozen large size Stouffer's Mac n Cheese

- Panko bread crumbs

- 1 egg

- 1 tbsp milk

- Vodka spaghetti sauce

- Oil for frying or a deep fryer

Allow frozen mac and cheese (whether Stouffer's or homemade) to thaw on counter just long enough to be able to cut it into cubes. I tried making them into balls like The Cheesecake Factory's and it just doesn't work. The cubes I cut were about 2"x2". Dip each cube into egg wash (whisk egg and milk together) and then coat in Panko bread crumbs. Pat crumbs into macaroni so they thoroughly stick. Place on a baking sheet lined in waxed paper and place back into freezer until ready to fry. Fry mac and cheese at 325-350 degrees (start at 350 because once you put 3-4 mac and cheese squares in the oil the temperature will drop) for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Vodka spaghetti sauce for dippage!