EASY TO MAKE FRIED MACARONI AND CHEESE BITES

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https://alcoeats.com/blogs/snacks/easy-to-make-fried-macaroni-and-cheese-bites

How to make fried Mac and Cheese Balls

• Active Time - 1 hr 25 mins 
• Chill Time - 3 hours 
• Total Time - 4 hours 25 mins 
• Servings - 12

The first steps of these Fried Mac and Cheese Bites will be familiar to anyone who has made any homemade macaroni and cheese recipe before. You'll make the rich cheese sauce, but instead of baking the pasta dish, you'll head straight into the bites-making process.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. - Unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup (about 1 ½ oz.) plus 1 tbsp. - Flour
• 1 ¼ cups - Whole milk
• 8 oz. - Shredded white Cheddar cheese, (2 cups)
• 8 oz. - Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, (2 cups)
• 2 tsp. - Kosher salt
• 1 tsp. - Garlic powder
• ½ tsp. - Black pepper
• ½ tsp. - Cayenne pepper
• 8 oz. - Elbow macaroni, cooked as per pkg. Instructions
• Vegetable oil
• 2 large - Eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp. - Water
• 2 ½ cups - Panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs), or normal breadcrumbs

Cooking Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan on a medium-high flame.  
2. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about a minute.  
3. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer on medium-high flame; simmer, whisking often, until the mixture is slightly thick and lightly coats to the back of a spoon, for about 3 minutes.  
4. Reduce heat to low. Add Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt, stirring constantly until both the cheeses melt and the mixture becomes smooth in around 2 minutes.  
5. Remove from heat and stir in the macaroni (the mixture should be thick). 
6. Spread the mixture evenly in a lightly greased baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly on the surface. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. 
7. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a large oven. Heat on medium-high to 350°F.  
8. Scoop a small portion of the macaroni mixture into your hands using a tablespoon and roll it into a ball. 
9. Place the ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this process with the remaining macaroni mixture.
10. Whisk eggs and water together in a shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a second shallow dish and place the remaining 1/3rd cup flour in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 ball at a time, dredge them in flour. 
11. Roll each mac n cheese ball in the egg mixture; let the excess drip off. Roll in breadcrumbs, pressing the balls to stick. Return the ball to the baking sheet.
12. Fry the macaroni balls in 6 to 8 batches, flipping them occasionally, until they turn golden brown on the outside and hot and melted on the inside, for about 4 to 5 minutes. 
13. Transfer the balls to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain them. 
14. Serve immediately.