Homemade Hot Chocolate - By the Mug (Ditch the Box)

Our weather is ridiculously cold!

We had snow falling, snow blowing, wind howling, Little House on the Prairie cold last night. Our wood stove was cranking but still having trouble due to some sort of extraordinary Arctic blast. This morning, on the way to work it was -9 on my car temperature gauge. The radio said that our wind chills are -36. Brrrr is right!

I haven't always been a huge hot chocolate drinker. I tend to drink coffee for the most part. But, last night, after a delicious supper of pot roast and potatoes, seasoned green beans, little dumplings in roast gravy, and School House Rolls, I wanted a little something sweet. Yes, I had already had honey on a School House Roll, but that wasn't cutting it. I decided to make myself a cup of hot chocolate.

I may be barking up the wrong tree but every weekend another person I know gets diagnosed with the Big C and I just couldn't bring myself to open a packet of hot cocoa mix. I'm not sure if processed food is causing cancer, but eating real food as opposed to eating processed food can never be a bad choice, even if its only hot chocolate! I decided to make my own!

All of the recipes in my books were for big batches of hot chocolate. I was just "me" and didn't want to do all of THAT! I looked on the Hershey's cocoa container just on a whim and low and behold, there it was! Single serving hot chocolate, with only a few ingredients. Wamba - I was doing it.

This hot chocolate is perfect! If it's a little overly rich for your taste, you could add more milk, but really it was perfect! It made the perfect "dessert" for a Sunday night. It will be perfect for snow days and snacks. I will never again be buying a box of hot chocolate. It was easy and quick! Nothing to it!

Here's how I made Homemade Hot Chocolate - By the Mug AT HOME MY WAY:

Homemade Hot Chocolate

-By the Mug

8 ounces milk (I used 2%)
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Microwave Directions:

Place milk in microwave proof mug. Warm milk in microwave approximately one minute. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Warm another 30 seconds or so or until hot as you like it.

Stovetop Directions:

Mix all ingredients in mug. Add hot milk and stir.

Tip: You could mix all the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in your own little envelopes, premeasured in single size. Then warm your milk, add a little vanilla and still be almost instant!

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