New Year's Eve

Happy new year, readers! I hope 2015 treats you all well and you are safe tonight (they call New Year's Eve "amateur hour" for a reason). 

For the past two years my husband and I have celebrated this holiday by making a gourmet meal and watching movies together - last year we made pizza and this year we decided to make fondue! 

I decided to make two separate kinds: cheddar beer and jarlsburg and raclette with white wine. 

We've tried both and they're delicious!

Cheddar and Beer fondue: 

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of butter 

1 cup beer (we used Moosehead lager)

4 cups cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon flour 

2-4 tablespoons half and half 

In a small saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in butter until tender. 

Add beer to saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. 

Toss cheese and flour together in separate bowl; stir into saucepan until melted. 

Add in two tablespoons of half and half and stir to combine.

Transfer to fondue pot (we skipped this step because we don't own a fondue pot - if you're in the same boat just keep on the stove on low and stir occasionally). 

Add additional half and half if fondue thickens. 

Jarlsburg Raclette and White Wine fondue: 

1/2 pound Jarlsburg cheese, shredded

1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

1 clove garlic, halved 

1 cup (or more) white wine (we used Chardonnay) 

1/8th teaspoon grated nutmeg (fresh is optional) 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Toss cheese in cornstarch in a separate bowl. 

Rub inside of a medium saucepan with cut sides of garlic and add 1 cup of white wine; bring to a gentle simmer DO NOT LET BOIL. 

Add cheese one handful of a time whisking constantly in a figure-eight motion (did you know this will keep the cheese from clumping in the whisk?!). Wait before cheese is melted before adding more. 

Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and transfer to fondue pot (once again, we don't have one so just keep it on low and stir occasionally if you're in the same boat). 

We are serving this with fresh baguette, pepperoni, sausage and chorizo, roasted red potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, apple slices and crackers. 

Be safe, readers and happy new year!