Hot Chocolate

I attribute a lot of my creativity to my parents. In highschool, they let me paint my room wild colors.  They let me trade out my bed for an old couch so I could have a lounge.  They let me stay up till all hours of the night baking fancy cakes for friends’ birthdays, and they always encouraged me to write.  My Mom is the one that taught me the value of handmade and insanely thoughtful gifts.  She’s always been really good at that.

I’d like to think my taste has reformed since the days I chose navy blue window sills, but I’m still a lot the same.  Still tinkering with projects and recipes all the time.

So this is a recipe my Mom and I made together when I was little, both for us and for gifts.  I was going to wait another month or so to share it, but it was 30 degrees when I got in my truck this morning.  Y’all, that’s colder than most of my life’s Christmases. So you can bet your biscuits I’ll be wearing fuzzy socks and drinking hot chocolate tonight…. and you should too!

So make a batch (or three) and embrace Blue Bell’s mantra…drink all you can and give away the rest.
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. nonfat powdered milk
• 1/4 c. Cocoa powder
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• A dash of salt
• 1/3 c powdered flavored coffee creamer – get creative here.  We always made it with amaretto growing up.  Lately we’ve preferred the peppermint mocha.  Just pick your favorite!
• Optional toppings: marshmallows, candycanes, whipped cream, sprinkles…get crazy.

1.  Mix all of he dry ingredients in a big bowl or canister or jar.  I like a jar (but let’s face it, I think  everything’s better in a jar).  Shake it, stir it, mix it well.  Store in an airtight container until ready for use.

2.  For each cup, add 6-8 oz of hot water to 5 Tbs of powdered mix.  Stir well.

3.  My kids like to top it with marshmallows and a candy cane.  I prefer to keep a jar (shocker, I know) of whipped heavy cream in the fridge for topping.  A few Tbs of cream topped with candycane crumbles and I’m in Heaven.

To make whipped cream, pour 1 c of cold heavy whipping cream into a metal bowl.  Mix on high with an electric mixer until thick and soft peaks form; a couple of minutes.  If you over mix, it will still taste good, but it will be lumpy.  You can store this in a closed container in the fridge for a few days.