Meatball Hot Pot (Broth Fondue)

The second course in our 3-course fondue meal we have for my birthday each year. While it takes a while for this course to cook, it is well worth the wait, and visiting with friends makes the time pass pleasantly. This recipe is found in Better Homes and Gardens After Work Cook Book.

½ pound ground beef
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
24 ¼-inch cubes sharp natural Cheddar cheese (1½ ounces) (or try other cheeses that you like)

3 to 4 cups beef broth
fresh mushrooms, halved
green pepper, cut in 1-inch cubes
broccoli and cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
carrots, sliced
any other vegetable you like cooked that can be speared on a fondue fork

Creamy Avocado Sauce
Soy-Lime Sauce
Bottled barbecue sauce
Dijon-style mustard

Combine ground beef, salt, and pepper. Shape meat around cheese cubes, forming 24 meatballs.

Heat broth until boiling and then transfer to fondue pot over burner. (I make one package of onion soup to use for the broth).

Cook meatballs and vegetables in broth until done (approximately 3 to 5 minutes). Dip in sauce.

Creamy Avocado Sauce: combine one 7¾-ounce can frozen avocodo dip, thawed; ½ cup sour cream; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; ¼ teaspoon salt; and a dash bottled hot pepper sauce. Makes 1 1/3 cups.

Soy-Lime Sauce: Combine ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and dash ground ginger. Makes 1/3 cup.

We have never tried the avocado sauce, and we do not make as much soy-lime sauce as the recipe indicates as it is not one of the more popular choices for dip among us or our friends.