Tuesday 3 April 2012

So for my first post...what else but food? And not just any food. Feel good, cozy, warm-up-your-insides-while-it's-cold-on-the-outside kind of food. Because-we're-all-tired-of-winter-already food. Ok, not food. Beverage. But still...


We went out on a grand adventure tonight after dinner. Think Mary Poppins: 


Let's go fly a kite, up to the highest height.
                         Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring...

It was a grand idea. 

Except that it was all of 3*C outside. 

And the wind was wicked. 

By the time we got to the top of the hill away from power lines and other potential hazards, we had at least three unimpressed littles. The oldest two only lasted about 15 minutes longer. We were forced to admit that there may have been too much wishful thinking behind this little excursion. 

So what better to come home to than a steaming cup of hot chocolate? Homemade hot chocolate. Homemade hot chocolate that blows any commercial stuff right out of the ballpark! 

So here's how it goes together:
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup white sugar
2 shakes of cinnamon (less than 1/8 tsp)
2 shakes of salt (less than 1/8 tsp)
1 shake nutmeg
1 cup boiling water


- combine in a large saucepan, and bring to rolling boil over med-high heat
- continue boiling for 3 minutes, stirring constantly (if you do it for less time, it will be grainy...yech!)


- add:


3 cups milk
1/2 cup cream (I go for broke and use 35% whipping cream. Oh, yeah!)


- heat until hot, but not boiling
- remove from heat and stir in:


1 tsp good quality vanilla


Mmmmm...rich, not too sweet. Of course, marshmallows are non-negotiable if you're under 10. Or just wish you were.


That's it. Comfort in a cup. No...love in a cup! 


And yes, shakes is how I roll in the kitchen. Makes it nearly impossible to duplicate any awesomeness perfectly twice in a row. But this...now THIS is nigh on awesome EVERY time!



3 comments:

  1. Love it!!!

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  2. Oh Yum! Looks like winter is coming back tomorrow, so I might have to try this!! :-)

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  3. can't wait to try it!!

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