New Year's Dinner

Happy 2010 Everyone!

Almost at the two week mark of staying home with my 2 1/2 year old. I don't know how stay-at-home mom's do it. They must be highly organized, because I am running out of things to do, there is only so much book reading, playing and art we can do.  I think we will go for a nice long winter walk and perhaps he will take a long winter nap this afternoon.

That will give me some time to organize for our fondue feast tonight! Yes I know this blog is supposed to be about fast and easy recipes, but I'm off work and I am indulging my cooking whims these last few weeks. So tonight I'm making a cheese, broth and chocolate fondue. The cheese is fairly simple, but does take some time and you have to hang out with it stirring, stirring ( A really easy way to do cheese is to buy the already partially melted/blended fondue cheese, it can be found in the specialty cheese section at your grocer). The broth is easy, and since I have homemade beef broth from the other day I will be using that. The chocolate; easy peasy!

I hope you all try out a fondue of your own, because it really doesn't take that much time to set up and it is the most social way to eat, because you need to cook your own food, so you must chat while waiting. Just make sure you have some good wine or for New Year's good champagne!

Cheese Fondue:

Gruyere Cheese grated
Emmental Cheese grated
1 1/2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons kirsch
1 clove garlic (optional)

Rub inside of melting pot with garlic clove and discard, bring wine to a simmer and add cheese keep stirring making sure that cheese does not ball up, add kirsch. If needed you can add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it up, making sure to stir cornstarch into a little water before adding it to the cheese. Remove from stove and place on your fondue burner, dip day old baguette and/or veggies into the mixture. Pure heaven.

Just remember to take your lactaid before eating. :)

Broth Fondue:

Favourite broth (veggie, chicken, beef)
cubed meat (I use flank steak and chicken breast)
veggies (asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli)
dips for dipping your cooked goodies into (bbq, fig balsamic vinagrette, caesar dressing, mint sauce, garlic mayo etc.)

On a stove bring your broth to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 2 mins. Move pot to fondue burner and dip away. Just makes sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.

Chocolate Fondue:


Your favourite milk chocolate bar melted
milk (about 1/2 cup)
Banana
Strawberries
Blueberries
Shortbread cookies
Pretzels
Anything you want to dip in chocolate really

Melt chocolate slowly over double boiler (ie. water in a pot below the pot you are melting in), add the milk while melting to desired thickness.

Enjoy!