Warm Up with These Tasty Treats on Halloween

The weather was beautiful all week, but it is turning chillier this weekend. Just in time for Halloween! I wanted to share with you two recipes to warm you up on Halloween, that I am loving this fall. The first, a Pumpkin Fondue would be a great appetizer to serve pre-trick or treating. Being that Halloween falls on a Sunday this year it is a great opportunity to have some neighbors over before you all head out and hit the candy. When you get home, you can kick back, relax and warm up with a nice Hot Apple Toddy. A nice fall twist on an old favorite. Both couldn’t be easier or more tasty!

If you already have a favorite fondue recipe, go ahead and make that, stuff it in the pumpkin and bake it. If not, I am including one for you.

Recipe: Pumpkin Fondue

• 1 small Pumpkin – about 3 lbs.
• 5 oz. Gruyere Cheese – shredded
• 5 oz. Emmental Cheese – shredded
• 1 tbs All Purpose Flour
• 8 oz. White Wine
• 1 Garlic Clove – minced
• 1 tbs Kirsch (Cherry Brandy)
• Freshly Grated Nutmeg – to taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper – to taste

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut off the top of the pumpkin, scoop out seeds and clean out the stringy bits.
3. Place the pumpkin on an oiled baking sheet and lightly brush the outside with oil.
4. In a saucepan, gently heat the cheeses, flour and wine over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted.
5. Add in the kirsch, garlic and nutmeg. Season with pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth.
6. Fill fondue in the pumpkin.
7. Place the pumpkin top back on and bake in the oven for one hour to one and a half hours.
8. Serve with cubes of french bread and apples.

Recipe: Hot Apple Toddy

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1 tbs Honey
• 1 slice of Lemon
• 6 oz Apple Cider
• 1 Cinnamon Stick

1. Gently heat the apple cider in saucepan with the cinnamon stick until it simmers.
2. While the cider is heating, place honey, bourbon and lemon slice in the bottom of a mug.
3. Pour in heated cider and stir to combine.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and serve. This makes one serving.

For more entertaining, cooking, and recipe tips from Zareen, check out her blog called Cooking With Z.