Hot Cocoa

Winter and snow and hot cocoa. They cannot be separated. One is cold and wonderful, the other warm and delicious.

Hot Cocoa - From the Hershey's Cocoa Container
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp vanilla
Mix the sugar, cocoa, salt and water. Heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for two minutes, don't stop stirring. Add milk, heat to desired temperature, still stirring. Don't let it boil. Boiling is bad for the milk. You just want it warm enough to be enjoyable as hot chocolate. Add vanilla and stir. Add marshmallows, whipped cream, a little chocolate syrup on top, whatever strikes your fancy. Enjoy. Makes 6 or so servings of hot cocoa that is way better than any instant you can buy. If you have leftovers, never fear, you can put it in a container and put it in the fridge. You have just made outstanding chocolate milk.

If you live somewhere cold, go outside. Go sledding or skiing or throw a few snowballs around. Drop down and make a snow angel. Getting cold and then warming up with hot chocolate is one of the best parts of the season. Savor it.