Fondue Fanatic

Do you Fondue? Whether it's a fun couples dinner or the big game, fondue feeds a crowd and it's just plain fun. Try it, the possibilities are endless. Try combining your favorite cheeses and play around with your seasoning. It's easy cheesy!


The Cheddary Basic

8 oz Monterey jack cheese, shredded 8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded 2 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch) or 1 1/2 Tbsp flour 1 c Apple Cider, dry white wine, gluten-free beer, or sparkling cider 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (optional) 1/3 tsp salt
1 small shallot, minced  1/4 tsp white pepper 1/16 tsp ground nutmeg
Bacon* Optional

Combine shredded cheeses with your corn starch or flour. Heat your fondue pot on medium, add garlic, shallot, apple cider/wine etc. Heat until a slight bubble and then slowly start adding your cheeses. Stir constantly until it's smooth and gooey. Add seasonings and dip away.  


Try the following cheese combinations. Simply add shallots, garlic, apple cider, stock or wine and make sure you cornstarch your flour and you're a fondue expert!

Emmenthaler Swiss, Edam, and White Cheddar, add walnuts, nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne
Fontina, Sharp White Cheddar and Parmesan, add pimento
Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Medium Cheddar, rotel tomatoes and green onions
Aged Canadian Cheddar, Gruyere, cinnamon, pepper and bacon
White American, White Cheddar, can of crab, ole bay seasoning, green onions, garlic
Gouda, Swiss, beer, bacon, nutmeg
Asiago, Parmesan, White American, Italian seasoning, lemon and beef stock




Super Pizza Fondue
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 jar (Barilla or chunky garden Prego) marinara sauce
3 cups mozzarella cubes
1 cup cheddar
1 cup parmesan
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken stock/beef stock
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Combine cornstarch with your cheeses. Do not use flour in this recipe, it will gunk up and be gross. 
Heat your fondue pot on medium, add olive oil, garlic, stock and cook on a bubble. You can add red pepper flakes if you want some heat. Add your cheese mixed with the corn starch and stir with a spoon in a figure 8 until the cheese is melted and combined. Leave the mozzarella in cubes so they will be long stringy bites like a real pizza. Add basil and it's done.  



Spinach Artichoke Fondue adapted from Melting Pot

1/2 C vegetable broth or apple cider (I used cider)
1 C spinach, frozen and squeezed of water
1 small jar or 1/2 can of artichoke hearts, chopped
1 heaping tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 C Butterkase cheese
1/2 C Fontina cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan/Asiago cheese
Couple shakes of onion powder and celery salt
1 tbsp corn starch
Black pepper to taste

Shred your cheeses, and combine with cornstarch, set aside. In your fondue pot, combine liquid with garlic, artichokes and spinach. Add cheese and stir in a figure 8 pattern until smooth. Add seasoning and keep warm. It's that easy.


If you're GF there are plenty of options, just be mindful of the label, which I know you already are. 

Dippers for Cheese Fondue:
Bread 
Pretzels 
Cherry tomatoes Pears
Figs
Radishes  Apples 
Asparagus
Button Mushrooms
Celery
Artichokes
Olives
Carrots
Broccoli Florets, blanched or steamed
Seedless Grapes
Cauliflower, blanched
Raw Zucchini
Bell Pepper
Baby Red Potatoes
Ham
Cooked Shrimp (Make sure you keep them on ice)
Meatballs (GF)
Smoked Sausage
Ham cubes
 
For the Kids:
Hotdogs (Kosher)
Chicken Fingers, cubed
Raviolis or Tortellini (precooked) 
Gummy Bears
Cinnamon Bears
Tator Tots
Cheesy Garlic Bread Bites
Taquitos
Waffle stix
Orange sliced/cuties
Dried Mangos
Bread sticks or Italian sticks
 
Dippers for Dessert Fondue"
Pineapple
Marshmallows (GF)
Graham Crackers (GF)
Strawberries
Bananas
Cherries
Cheesecake Bites Recipe Here
Pretzels
Angel Food Cake recipe below 


 

Creamy Caramel
1 pkg  caramels, unwrapped (14oz bag)
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips (do not use milk chocolate, they wont melt right)
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract (if GF, watch for gluten in your extract)

Combine all ingredients and microwave in 30-45 second intervals, stirring until all the caramel and chocolate is smooth. Pour into fondue dish and heat on low.  

White Chocolate Amaretto
6oz White Chocolate chips
3 T Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream
1 T Amaretto syrup (top shelf of the coffee section)





Angel Food Bites

10 egg whites

3/4 c and 1/4 c confectioners sugar

1/4 c. white rice flour

1/4 c. corn starch

1/4 c. tapioca flour

1/4 c. potato starch

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cream of tarter

Separate the egg yokes from the egg whites. Let the egg white warm to room temperature as you collect your other ingredients and pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.Sift together the following dry ingredients: 3/4 c. confectioners sugar, white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, corn starch. Beat room temperature the egg whites along with vanilla, salt, and cream of tarter. Mix on medium speed until the egg whites make soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/4 c. confectioners sugar and increase speed of mixer to high. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Then stir in sifted dry ingredients. Use a ziplock bag as a make shift piping bag or just spoon batter into greased muffin pan. Bake for 16 to 20 min in 350 degree oven. When hey come out of the oven, drop them onto a wrack to cool.

 




If you don't have the option to make fondue, just try this fruit dip, it's really awesome and your little ones will love you to the moon. 

Orange Yogurt Dream 
1 package dream whip (this is not gluten free sorry)
2-3 Tsp orange sugar free jello mix, or your favorite flavor
1 T orange juice or apple juice
1 Cool Whip container (smaller container)

Combine all ingredients and dip your flavorful fruit until you are stuffed!