The most comfort food is cheese. Just think of the smell of melted cheese. Throw in some delicious dippers and you’re ready to please any palate. Whether it’s a quiet candlelight dinner for two or a joyous party for 20 guests, or even just a daily family meal, fondue is your meal of choice. The fondue can be served as an appetizer, main dish, or dessert. Make fondue and you will brighten the day.
When planning your fondue, don’t forget to give dippers a little thought. There are so many options – deli meats, small pieces of beef, pork, chicken, ham, mini hot dogs, cocktail sausages, or meatballs are great for dipping meat. For veggie dippers, think of boiled new potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, stuffed olives, potato sandwiches, broccoli, and cauliflower. Don’t overlook a good fondue dessert, either. Some good dishes for these are cakes, pineapple chunks, pear slices, strawberries, and banana slices. Many of these can be purchased ready-made, so all you have to do is make the sauce.
Here’s a great easy cheese fondue recipe to get you started. Use Velveeta and a green onion cheese. If green onion cheese is not available in your area, Monterey Jack and a few diced sprigs of green onion will do the trick. This recipe also swaps the alcohol with white grape juice. Purple juice would give the fondue an unusual color, which is why I recommend white.
Green Onion Velveeta Cheese Fondue
1 1/2 teaspoon white grape juice
2 pounds. Velveeta cheese, cubed
3/4 teaspoon green onion cheese (see below for substitutions), cubed
1/2 teaspoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon butter
Put the grape juice in a pan and bring it to a boil (or at least let it get very hot). Add the cheeses and stir occasionally until melted. Add sour cream and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
If you don’t have a fondue pot, feel free to substitute a heavy saucepan. Keep your heat on medium-low so you don’t overheat or burn the cheese. This will ensure a smooth and even consistency and will remain liquid enough for your saucepans, without becoming a mess. Or you can use a Pyrex plate on top of a crockpot filled with about 1 inch of water.
However, if you choose to purchase a new fondue set, you will be very satisfied with your purchase. It will come with the necessary fondue forks, a cookbook, and the heat source you need to make great fondues. You can breathe new life into your meals and entertain with fondue. Let ‘me help you!