Valentine’s Day Fondue Date Night

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It’s February and that means it’s time to break out the red and pink and heart attack the house!  If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, then you know that I LOVE Valentine’s day!  For me, it’s a day dedicated to letting those you love know just how much they mean to you.  In our house that doesn’t mean expensive gifts. Our gift to each other is the gift of time spent together, enjoying each other’s company and exchanging cards with handwritten messages.  I love to keep these cards and re-read the messages as the years pass.   A few years ago we made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants on Valentine’s day.  We were surprised by how they had transformed our usual cozy restaurant into a factory.  They had squeezed in tons of extra tables making the ambiance of the restaurant SO much different.  The reservations had a minimum order requirement and were for 90 minute seatings.  What?!  This is the kind of place where you usually linger after dinner, know your server by name and has a home-y feel.  Not on Valentine’s Day!  We decided that from that point on it would be more fun to stay at home and start a fun tradition.  A fondue date night is a fun, special and easy to prepare date night that is perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Fondue is simple to prepare yourself or if you prefer, you can find pre-made fondue at your local grocery store that only needs to be heated before serving.   A fondue date night in is just as fun as a date night out, the important thing is just to plan in advance like you would for a night out.  You can even squeeze in a little extra time together by heading to the grocery store together ahead of time to prep for your meal and have everything you need.  The prep is part of the fun!

We stick to a cheddar cheese fondue in lieu of a more traditional Swiss fondue because we prefer the cheddar flavor.  This recipe is SO easy to make and delicious.

4 oz Skim milk

1 tsp minced garlic

6 oz cheddar cheese

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce

pepper to taste

Add milk and garlic to a medium sauce pan.  Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and mix until smooth, add the rest of the cheese and continue stirring.  Add mustard and worcestershire sauce.  Stir in pepper to taste.

I ran over to Walmart this week and picked up everything I needed for our spread and the perfect Hallmark Card for our date night.

Here is what we like to dip in our delicious cheese fondue:

Brocolli ( you can serve it raw or lightly steam it first)

Sliced Apples

Sliced Pears

Berries (blackberries are yummy)

Carrots

Crusty Bread

Salami

Dried Apricots

Soft Pretzels

I like to dress things up a bit with some cute heart plates and red and pink serving bowls.  I also add some chocolate to the table for a little bit of something sweet.  I think what makes this meal feel special are all the beautiful colors and the spread of beautiful foods to choose from.  I like to really create a pretty spread with lots of platters and piles of different dipping options so it looks extra decadent.

I found these cute little fondue pots that only need a tea light to work.  They are dishwasher safe and the perfect size for two.

Is it just me or do cards keep getting prettier and prettier each year?  These gorgeous dimensional cards from the new Hallmark Signature line are so fun.  There are so many to choose from in the card aisle at Walmart, I spent nearly half and hour looking at all the options and picking the perfect one.  I am in love with this wood You and Me card.  So cute.  It’s perfect for John.  I had to get the cute cupcake one for Ash, my little baker. 😉

I love that the Valentine card acts as a place card for the table too. It dresses things up a bit and makes it look and feel more like a celebration.

It’s rare in this day of texting and emails that we take the time to write a handwritten note.  That makes giving the perfect valentine card that much more special.  There are so many Hallmark cards to choose from, it makes it easy to find something to express exactly how you are feeling.  Be sure to be on the lookout for a coupon in the card aisle at Walmart that will save you $2 when you purchase 3 Hallmark Valentine’s Day cards.  If you have the Ibotta app, you can earn $1 back on any Hallmark Valentine’s Cards at Walmart priced at $2.97 and above now through 2/14 or while supplies last.

Make sure to check out the Hallmark Valentine’s Day hub for more inspiration and to find a store near you!

I hope you are excited to stay in this Valentine’s Day and create the perfect (and easy!) fondue date night.

Have a great day!

Tammy