Warm Me Up Hot Chocolate

It has been snowing now for over 24 hours....without stopping.  The driving is crazy, the walking is difficult, and the shoveling goes on forever.  Thankfully I have a wonderful near 15 year old to help (by help I mean he does it all) the shoveling.  I did take pity on him for a while and helped shovel the front steps and beside the house.  When one is done shoveling, they need a treat. I called it quits early and went in to make hot chocolate.  It just helps to warm one up when you come inside with the cuffs of your pants covered in snow and frozen solid, your glasses are fogged up and your toque is damp from the constant barage of snow!

This is a recipe I have tinkered with over many winters of snow, ice, and shoveling!!

Warm me up Hot Chocolate

In a large measuring cup mix together:

• 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
• 1/2 cup milk (you can use all 1/2 and 1/2, or cream...but I felt the need to lighten it up a little with some skim milk.  As long as you have 1 1/2 of dairy)

In a sauce pan or pot mix together:

• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Mix this until nice and smooth.  It helps make sure there are no unsightly lumps of cocoa powder in your mug!

Stir and heat the cocoa mixture until it is boiling.

Boil for about a minute, stirring.

Reduce the heat and add the milk.   Heat the milk mixture until it is warm throughout.  Remove from the heat and add:

• 1 tsp vanilla and stir to combine

Pour into 2 mugs, add the toppings of your choice and enjoy with the toppings of your choice.  Some tasty suggestions:

• marshmallows
• whipped cream
• cinnamon
• Irish cream
• Peppermint schnapps

Serve to your favourite snow shoveler!

My favourite shoveler, snow topped, glasses fogging, red cheeks

!