Tis the Season...

I. love. winter.  I love the way it smells.  Winter just has a certain smell, don't you think?  If they came out with a winter scented candle that didn't smell like old lady perfume.... I would so totally buy it.  It's my favorite season currently-- just don't ask me in February or March (or even late January).  Any season that is coming up is my favorite season.  Really, I just love the changing of the seasons.  The changing of wardrobe (or if you're dirt poor like me- the adding of a few select sweaters and hoodies over your t-shirts that you wear year round.... it works!).  The changing of food (I'm NOT making gazpacho in winter, nor am I making beef stew in the summer).  Ah... love it.

On a sort of unrelated note, if you know me really well... you know that I am a sugar addict.  For this reason, I try not to keep chocolate or candy or ice-cream in the house because, well, it will be gone quickly.  But it's getting to be that time... that time where I love to sit wrapped up in a blanket looking out the frosty window into the freezing cold abyss that is this lovely state of Minnesota in the winter. Okay, that was totally cheesy, but I don't care because I LOVE it.

So last night, since it was yet another night of just the kids and me (proud of my awesome hubby for all he does, by the way)... I decided that I would make a special treat for Roxie and I.  Homemade hot chocolate!  Well, hot chocolate for me and warm chocolate for her.  Or, as Roxie put it "Yours is hot like coffee and mine is warm like a bun."

Disclaimer: my hot chocolate does not look this awesome.  But I do think I'm going to have to attempt some coconut cream homemade whipped cream to put on top next time.  I've made fabulous homemade whipped cream with whipping cream, but I'd like to see what happens if I make it dairy free.  Hmmmm.  I did just buy 12 cans of coconut milk from Azure Standard (buying club- so it's cheaper.  Being into good food and being poor doesn't milk very well unless you are VERY frugal I also bought a GALLON of coconut oil).

It was cute.  Roxie sipped her hot chocolate and every time she came up for a breathe she'd say "mmmmmmm."  Okay, so maybe it was more like a gulp than a sip.  So yeah, it was most definitely a special treat for Roxie and I.  Being the mom that I am, when hers was gone and she wanted more, I poured the rest of mine into her mug and we let it cool down during her bath and she finished it when she was all cozy in her jammies while we read our stories before bed.  *bliss*  Being a mom is so much fun.  I wish that somebody would have been home to take a picture of us all snuggly on the couch drinking our hot chocolate from matching mugs.  Oh, I'm so glad I have a daughter to do things like this with.  And a son too, of course, someday he'll get to enjoy special treats like this as well :)  For now he entrances me with his beautiful smile and coos while I sit next to him on the floor typing my blog and, as my sister in law would put it, "makes my heart explode into a tiny little pieces."

So, here is the recipe I used to make my hot chocolate.  I'm probably going to keep tweaking it... although I'm not sure it needs much tweaking since it pretty much rocked and was super easy.... but I'm a tweaker.... so.... I think next time I'm going to add some spice and make it a mexican hot chocolate.  Yum.


HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE

1 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water
1 c. milk
a bit of vanilla, if desired

Combine cocoa, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat it on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the paste from sticking to the pan. After about 1 to 2 minutes, add milk and vanilla. Mix it all together until it reaches your preferred temperature. 


I used coconut milk, which totally rocked.  But obviously you can use any milk you want.  Our real whole milk from local grassfed cows would pretty much ROCK in this hot chocolate too. I had some rockstar awesome cocoa powder as well.  Next time I will probably do a little less sugar... although the coconut milk I used is a bit sweeter than normal milk I think. 


OH- and this is enough for one person- or me and one 2 yr old.  So if you want to share- times this recipe by how many people are having some.   ENJOY!


This morning as I am sipping my warmed up from yesterday coffee since we are out of beans Roxie had to check inside my mug to make sure I wasn't drinking hot chocolate on the sly.  Nope, little girl.  I will always share my hot chocolate with you.  Except maybe not so close to bedtime next time.  Oops. 


My husband got home around 7am and hadn't slept yet.  He was at a youth lockin.  All I can say is... what a great guy.  Maybe I'll see him for dinner.  Perhaps.  Sloppy Joe Pot Pie.... we'll see how that goes....