Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks

We're a pasta kind of household. I make a mean marinara sauce in the crock pot and it makes a ton, so we have spaghetti or some other fun pasta shape, sometimes with meatballs even, at least once a month or more. Sometimes I'll pick up a crusty bread, sometimes I'll make my own, but recently I wanted something different. Enter these fun, cheesy breadsticks. Simple to make and delicious to boot, I'm excited to have another option for extra dinner carbs. Occasionally, a bread basket is warranted and these breadsticks will be in mine. A sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and a garlic butter kick make these breadsticks more than your ordinary slice of white bread.

Today is Group B's reveal day for Secret Recipe Club!  What's Secret Recipe Club?  Each Monday a group of bloggers post a recipe they've made from another blogger's repertoire.  Nobody knows who's featuring their blog until that day and it's a fun chance to visit new blogs and try something different. Visit some of the other bloggers in my group by checking out the blog hop at the bottom of this post.  To learn more about Secret Recipe Club, click here. This month I was lucky enough to bake from Famished Fish, Finicky Shark, where Saundra had me debating and debating over which recipe to choose. I love the idea of Chicken Caesar Tacos, but then there were also Chicken Enchilada Calzones. I've also always wanted to try baba ganoush. But in the end these breadsticks caught my eye and the search was over. Saundra's recipe is simple and you likely have everything you need on hand. We loved how soft and light they turned out, but next time I might amp up the garlic flavor and do a quick brush of extra garlic butter on top of the breadsticks before they bake, instead of just inside. They were still mighty tasty, but can you really ever get enough butter and garlic? I used instant yeast so I didn't need to proof it, so be sure to proof your yeast for 5 minutes with the water and sugar, then add it to the flour if you don't have instant. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe, Saundra. And be sure to go check out her blog for more awesome finds.

Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water, 110 -115 degrees F
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast and salt.

Turn mixer on low and gradually add water until a soft dough forms. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium high to knead the dough for about 5 minutes. If dough is too sticky, gradually add more flour, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Cover with a clean cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.

Press or roll dough into a "rectangle" about 3/4 inch thick (You know me and rolling dough into rectangles. Just get some sort of squarish polygon).

Melt butter in microwave and stir in garlic salt. Brush butter mixture over the rolled out dough.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp non-serrated knife, cut dough into strips about 1 inch wide.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the dough.

One at a time, fold strips in half , then twist ends in opposite directions, trying to keep the cheese inside.

Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and let rest for 20 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed, lightly golden and the outsides are just beginning to crisp.

Transfer to a basket and serve warm.

Makes about 20 breadsticks.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

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