Fondue date-night

In general, I try to eat healthy during the week and on the weekends I let myself indulge a little. This past weekend hubby and I decided to break out the fondue set and enjoy a nice relaxing night by the fire place. Our fondue of choice? A home-made rendition of the Melting Pot's Mexican Fiesta Cheese Fondue. Health? No. Delicious? Yes. We ate this pot of bubbling cheesy goodness with fresh baked tortilla chips, cubed ciabatta bread, and red and green pepper slices.

Mexican Fiesta Cheese Fondue
6oz beer
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3oz shredded Swiss cheese
2 tbs flour
1/4 cup fresh pico de gallo (recipe to follow)

This recipe calls for use of a double boiler. For those who are not familiar with this cooking method, you basically use hot water to gently melt your ingredients together. This is easily done by putting about 2 cups of water into one of your smaller pots and placing a glass or Pyrex bowl directly on top, as if it was a lid. The ingredients cook in the bowl as it is heated by the steaming water in the pot.

So, to start, heat your double boiler on the stove over medium-high heat.
Add the beer and pico de gallo and let simmer for a good 5-7 minutes so that the beer absorbs the flavor.
Mix your cheese together with the flour. This will prevent clumping.
When you feel your beer is hot enough, slowly add your cheese in (I did it in three parts).
Stir constantly, making sure the cheese and the beer become one.
You should end up with a chocolate syrup like texture.
Transfer fondue to a fondue pot and serve.

Pico de gallo
1 tomato, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
juice from 1/2 lime
1 tbs cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Pico actually IS healthy--there are no point in it. You can serve it with quesadillas, grilled chicken, baked tortilla chips or anything else you can think up.

Therefore I can end with...

Healthy meals to nourish your mind.