I do not do fondue at home but we do indulge in fondue every 1-2 years at the Melting Pot (chain fondue restaurant) for a special occasion (anniversary or something). They do all of the cleanup and prep, it's a nice, long, relaxing, romantic meal in a little fondue booth for 2, and they have yummy non-alcoholic specialty drinks (I don't drink alcohol) like blackberry sage lemonade. But it is not cheap, $$ or caloriewise, so it's definitely a once in a while thing. It's especially luxurious feeling now that we have a toddler to be able to sit for 2 hours and chat without shoveling food in our mouths with one hand and reinforcing table manners with the other. We always get the broth cooking styles (we tried oil once and it was not for us) for the main course - usually the "mojo" with citrus and cilantro added (so you home fonduers should try that, I think it is half an orange and half a lime plus some cilantro) and request extra granny smith apples for the cheese course. We've been going for like 12 years now and have been to this restaurant in 3 states + Washington DC, so we always make servers laugh with our extensive menu knowledge (even though we go a most once a year but usually more like every 2). Now I want fondue, thanks, but we JUST had it in January for the holidays (DH's company had everyone go out to dinner on them for the holidays so we picked that).

I honestly feel that there is no such thing as lowfat or low sugar cream cheese icing! That's why if I want to really cut calories I make my carrot cake in a bundt pan and then just lightly dust with confection sugar before serving, makes a lovely impression. Can also make as a flat cake and put a paper doily over the cake and then dust with confection sugar and then take the doily off for a nice effect. Carrot cake is very moist and doesn't need icing. Serve with ice milk or tofutti if you still need something creamy. Can also top cake with a pudding or cornstarch thickened fruit sauce after serving. That's low fat but not low sugar.

I use the Mr. Mister mop with BONA and microfiber cloths from Solutions. I have wood floors in every room except the bath and laundry. The mop is handy because I can put the BONA inside, but the head tends to flop around and you have to refold/change the cloth every so often. I find it easier to just get on my hands and knees unless I'm doing more than a couple of rooms at a time. I have never used it dry. I don't baby my floors, but those Solutions cloths are very *grabby*. I'd be afraid little rocks would get caught in the cloth and add more scratches to the floor. Before mopping, I use a regular old-fashioned dust mop to push everything out the front or back door. No kiddies here so I don't have to mop very often. I sweep or vacuum every few days and spot clean as necessary. I believe BONA is short for BONAKEMI. I purchase the big jug of floor cleaner from the Bona website. I also use it to clean wood furniture and cabinets - I haven't bought Pledge or Murphy or Endust or anything like that in ages. I could be paying way too much for the BONA. I've never comparison shopped it.

Not as many as I used to. Don't keep olive oil anymore. I don't use much oil anymore. I use butter or bacon fat for most things that I cook it seems. Used to keep EV olive, peanut and vegetable or corn oil depending on price. I just picked up a bottle of canola oil. Used to use a lot of shortening but not anymore. Guess my cooking styles have changed. Although I went nearly a year with next to no cooking so that had an impact too.