INGREDIENTS
- 2 qt canola or vegetable oil
- 1 box CHEETOS® Mac 'n Cheese FLAMIN' HOT®
- 8 ½ oz bag CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheddar Jalapeño Cheese Flavored Snacks
- 4 oz shredded three cheese blend
- 6 oz pepper jack cheese
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 qt water, 2 tbsp reserved
- 1 bunch fresh basil, garnish
- 3 sheets toasted nori, garnish
- 12 thin pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Bring water to boil and add macaroni, cooking until al dente. Turn off heat, strain through colander and then return to saucepan. Add milk and CHEETOS® FLAMIN’ HOT® Mac and Cheese Seasoning Packet.
- Stir until thoroughly coated and add in shredded cheese, mixing until cohesive and set aside to cool.
- Blitz up one 8 ½ oz Bag CHEETOS® Crunchy Cheddar in food processor and set aside in separate bowls for later.
- Cut pepper jack cheese into twelves 1/2-inch cubes. Once mac and cheese are cooled and set, begin to form 12 golf ball sized balls until they are firmly packed.
- Set aside in freezer to chill thoroughly and set up, about one hour.
- Once balls are set, bring 2 qt of oil to 350°F, and set up your fry station.
- Beat four eggs together in one bowl, add two cups four to another, and set up your bowl with crushed CHEETOS® alongside them.
- When oil reaches temperature, begin coating balls in flour first, followed by egg and then crusting with crushed CHEETOS®.
- Fry until crisp and balls begin to float, move to platter and allow to cool to touch.
- To Decorate: Using exacto knife, straighten the edge of your nori and then cut zig-zag pattern along the side to create triangles for eyes and noses. When you reach the end of your sheet, draw a line back to create additional triangles, continue until you reach 36 pieces and then cut 12 mouths from the rest of the sheet. You can also feel free to get creative with hole punches or stencils! Place your nori face pieces onto your pumpkin and then using your pastry brush dampened with water, dab them until they soften and adhere. Place your basil leaf on top, and secure in place with a pretzel stick "stem."
