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How to Host a Chocolate Fondue Party

So you just purchased a Salton fondue fountain for your upcoming holiday party, or maybe you were gifted one from a friendly neighbor. Here are some ideas to get that fondue fountain out of the box and in use.

 

Put your fondue fountain to work with these easy tips and tricks:

 

  1. Warm your fondue fountain while you melt your chocolate

To get your fountain ready for the chocolate plug in the machine on a stable and level surface to warm up while you are melting your chocolate. This will ensure the best flow from the fountain base over the auger for the perfect chocolate-y experience.

 

  1. The best way to melt chocolate is over a double boiler

To melt your chocolate, start by putting an inch of water to simmer in a medium-sized pot. Place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot so that bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Add morsels of chocolate to the bowl and stir occasionally. For every 32 ounces of chocolate, add ¾ cup of oil to liquefy in order to use for fondue. Stir until smooth and remove the bowl from heat to pour into the base of the chocolate fountain.

 

  1. Use chocolate that contains no more than 60% cocoa

The best chocolate to use for a chocolate fountain is semi-sweet and contains no more than 60% cocoa. This type of chocolate will create the best form when liquefied for using in a chocolate fountain and no additional oil should have to be added.

 

  1. Add flavors to your melted chocolate to enhance your fondue experience

To really step up your chocolate fondue experience, try adding flavourings to the melted chocolate. This is an optional step but really allows you to customize to your taste and try new flavours. You can use: vanilla extract, almond extract, cake batter flavor extract, maple extract, cinnamon extract, coconut extract, hazelnut extract, mint extract, coffee extract. For a unique and adult-only twist, try flavoured liqueurs such as hazelnut liqueur, amaretto, or your favourite liqueurs

 

  1. Melt cheese to create a cheese fondue fountain

Get creative with your fondue fountain and try a cheese fondue fountain instead of chocolate. Melt cheese as you would for normal fondue and dilute it with white wine or table cream to keep it liquid for the fountain. Cheese fondue is perfect for dipping grapes, apples, breads, shrimp, crackers, pretzels, meats, and just about anything you’d love to eat smothered in cheese!

Don’t have a Salton Fondue Fountain yet? Available for purchase here.

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10 Brilliant Ways to Use a Waffle Iron

This kitchen-counter appliance is not just for breakfast anymore.

You can do so much more than waffles and syrup! (Though we still recommend throwing in some batter for a delicious and classic breakfast every now and again.)

Here are some easy recipes that put a unique twist on your favourite breakfast appliance. The Salton Rotary Waffle Iron can be used in variety of ways, including preparing dishes from breakfast, lunch and dinner to snacks and even desserts!

Breakfast

 banana bread recipe in a waffle maker

 

Banana Bread: Bananas and waffles are two breakfast staples! Try combining them for the fluffiest, most delicious treat next time you’re serving up a weekend brunch.

What you’ll need:

  • 2 eggs
  • 2 mashed (ripened) bananas
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Optional:

  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips
  • 1 Banana to top
  • Chocolate Sauce to top

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat your waffle iron
  2. Whisk eggs, mashed bananas, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl
  3. Whisk flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a separate bowl and stir into banana mixture
  4. Stir in chopped nuts, chocolate chips or other mix-ins as desired
  5. Add 1 cup portions to waffle iron and cook until golden, about 5 minutes
  6. Top with sliced banana and chocolate sauce and enjoy!

 

how to make french toast in a waffle maker

 

Stuffed French Toast: Another twist on a breakfast favourite — French Toast! This time stuffed with cream cheese and grilled to perfection on your waffle iron.

What you’ll need:

  • Sliced Bread
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Optional:

  • Powdered sugar to top

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat waffle iron
  2. Stir cream cheese, maple syrup and cinnamon in a bowl
  3. Whisk eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla
  4. Spread cream cheese on one slice of bread and top with another to make a cream cheese sandwich TIP: Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch border around the cream cheese so it doesn’t spill out in the waffle maker
  5. Dip sandwich in egg mixture and cook in waffle iron until golden, about 5 minutes
  6. Top with powdered sugar and enjoy

 

Lunch

 

how to make a quesadilla in a waffle maker 

Quesadilla: This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but I bet you’ve never thought about cooking a quesadilla in your waffle iron before!

What you’ll need:

  • Tortillas
  • Shredded cheese

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Place one tortilla on a preheated waffle iron and top with 1 cup of shredded cheese
  2. Place another tortilla on top and cook until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes

TIP: If using large tortilla wraps rather than small, use a pair of silicone-covered tongs to carefully remove the excess tortilla from around the perimeter of the waffle iron. When the tortilla is softened because it is hot, this will be easy to do!

 

 

Apple Grilled Cheese: Similar to a quesadilla, but with bread. And it’s delicious!

What you’ll need:

  • Sliced bread
  • Shredded cheese
  • 1 Granny Smith apple

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat waffle iron
  2. Butter two slices of bread
  3. Thinly slice 1/2 of the apple
  4. On the unbuttered side of one slice, place 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and two slices of apple 
  5. Top with other side of buttered bread, buttered side up 
  6. Place on waffle iron and grill until crispy and golden, about 4 minutes
  7. Serve with apple wedges and enjoy!

 

Dinner

 zucchini fritter recipe in a waffle maker

 

Zucchini Fritters: Healthy and delicious! Grilled in the waffle iron saves calories and makes it easy for the whole family to help prepare.

What you’ll need:

  • 2 zucchinis
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat waffle iron
  2. Grate zucchini onto a few sheets of paper towel
  3. When finished, take a few more pieces off your roll and press on zucchini to remove excess liquid
  4. Place into a bowl and stir in shredded cheese, beaten egg and salt
  5. Stir in flour and baking powder
  6. Add 1 cup portions to waffle iron and cook until golden, about 8 minutes

 

pizza pockets in a waffle maker

 

Pizza Pockets: Say goodbye to frozen pizza! Now you can quickly make at-home versions of this kid-friendly meal in your waffle maker.

What you’ll need:

  • Pre-made (or homemade) pizza dough
  • Pre-made (or homemade) tomato sauce
  • Pepperoni (or your favourite pizza topping)
  • Shredded cheese

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat waffle maker
  2. Spread pizza dough and separate into 100 g squares
  3. Roll into 6 inch rounds
  4. At the half way mark, top with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce, 1 tbsp shredded cheese, and 2 slices of pepperoni
  5. Fold over to form a half moon and press edges to seal
  6. Cook in waffle iron until golden, about 8 minutes

 

Snacks and Desserts

 how to make cheese crisps in a waffle maker

 

Cheese Crisps: We love cheese! And this simple recipe is totally customizable to your favourite kinds — don’t be afraid to mix it up.

What you’ll need:

  • Shredded Cheese

How you do it:

  1. Add 1/3 cup portions of shredded cheese to waffle iron
  2. Cook until crisp, about 3 minutes
  3. Remove immediately and let cool

 churro recipe in a waffle maker

 

Churros: This warm pastry hits the spot! Serve up with a mug of hot chocolate for sipping and dipping.

What you’ll need:

For dough:

  • 4 tbsp butter 
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup flour

For topping:

  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp sugar

Here’s how you do it:

  1. Preheat waffle iron
  2. In a pot over heat, add butter, sugar, salt and water and bring to a simmer
  3. When the butter is melted, remove heat and add flour
  4. Add heat again after stirring in flour for 30 seconds
  5. Remove dough from pan and ball into 1/3 cup portions
  6. Add ball to centre of waffle iron and cook until golden, about 6 minutes
  7. When done, remove from iron and coat both sides with cinnamon sugar

 

cinnamon rolls in a waffle makerraspberry turnovers in a waffle maker

 

Cinnamon Buns and Raspberry Turnovers

On the Salton Rotary Waffle Iron, you can quickly make chilled store-bought pastries and other treats in a pinch. This a great way to quickly make crispy cinnamon buns or raspberry turnovers. To do this, we used chilled store-bought doughs and added four small rounds of cinnamon buns to the four quarters or one raspberry turnover to the centre of the waffle iron. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes! Top with icing that is included in the tin.

TIP: Make sure to let the turnovers cool for a few minutes before serving. The jelly inside gets very hot!

Interested yet? Purchase the Salton Rotary Waffle Iron here and share in the comments what foodie creations you’ll be making with your new favourite appliance.

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Pina Colada Smoothie

Serves 1
Ingredients

3/4 cup (175 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
1 1/2 cup (375 ml) raw pineapple, diced or frozen
1 serving unflavoured or vanilla (unsweetened) whey protein powder*
5 raw cashews
1 tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds

 

Directions

  • Place all ingredients in the blender jar in the order listed above. Secure the lid.
  • Set the speed control to the lowest speed and turn the blender on.
  • Slowly increase the speed to the highest setting and blend for about 1 minute.
  • If a thinner consistency is desired, add a little extra water and blend for another 20 seconds.

 

Nutritional information (per serving)

  • Calories 314
  • Fat 5 grams
  • Protein 29 grams
  • Fiber 10 grams

 

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The Ultimate Portable Cooktop Guide for Camping and Entertaining

With all the different options for portable cooktops, it can be difficult to decide what’s right for you. Whether you want an extra hot plate for heating and cooking at home or a convenient portable stove for camping, Salton’s great selection has something for everyone. Here’s a handy guide to choose your own cooktop, based on Salton’s best sellers:

Portable Induction Cooktops

If safety or energy efficiency is your biggest concern, go for induction. ID1305An induction cooktop uses magnetic waves to instantly heat a specialized iron pot or pan to precise temperatures. With a surface that remains cool throughout the cooking process, there is no need to worry about anyone accidentally burning themselves – and the smooth top wipes clean in a snap. It even has a timer to shut-off automatically, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting it’s on. It’s no wonder our induction cooktop is such a popular choice.

Specs:
• LED display with 8 temperature settings from 60ºC (140ºF) to 240ºC (465ºF). Melt butter & chocolate, steam fish & dumplings, sear or stir‐fry meat & vegetables, and boil water for pasta or soups
• Power setting range: 300W to 1800W
• Timer – up to 3 hours with auto shut‐off and audible signal
• Tempered glass surface

Portable Coil Burners

cooktop-single-salton-1The best option for budget-conscious folks who want something that’s basic and will get the job done, these simple and easy to use portable coil cooktops are perfect for cottages, student dorms, camping – and even your office.

Specs:
• Available in both single and double burner
• High-speed coil element heats up quickly
• Variable temperature control and indicator lights
• Get it in white, black, or stainless steel

Portable Infrared Cooktops

HP1269_2-1The perfect combination of style and value, Salton’s Infrared Portable Cooktop heats more efficiently than regular stove tops, has minimal heat loss to the countertop or table and is compatible with all types of cookware – including glass, ceramic and aluminum. If you’re seeking an elegant, versatile and lightweight solution for your portable cooking needs, look no further!

Specs:

• Available in both single and double burner
• Heats more efficiently than traditional cooktops with minimal heat loss
• Precise temperature control from boil to simmer
• Double burner model has separate heat controls to cook different types of food simultaneously
• Elegant stainless steel housing with large 7.4” (188mm) diameter burners
• Lightweight and easy to store
• Smooth surfaces are easy to clean

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Kale Cucumber Pear Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) kale
1 cup (250 ml) cucumber
1 cup (250 ml) pear
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 serving unflavoured or vanilla (unsweetened) whey protein powder*
5 raw cashews

Directions

  • Place all ingredients in the blender jar in the order listed above. Secure the lid.
  • Set the speed control to the lowest speed and turn the blender on.
  • Slowly increase the speed to the highest setting and blend for about 1 minute.
  • If a thinner consistency is desired, add a little water and blend for another 20 seconds.

Nutritional information (per serving)

  • Calories 341
  • Fat 6 grams
  • Protein 31 grams
  • Fiber 8 grams