Peppermint Hot Chocolate

  Nothing is better than having hot chocolate on a cold night, especially on Christmas Eve.  Try changing it up just a bit, making it even better this Christmas Eve by adding in one of the many candy candy canes you are sure to have around your home.  Add 2-3 large marshmallows or a handful of small ones to make it a little creamier.
  The packets of hot chocolate are wonderful and easy, but my favorite has always been the hot chocolate my mom makes from scratch.  It is also very easy and so delicious.

Hot Chocolate

1/2 C. Sugar                                                          1/4 C. Cocoa                                                     

1/3 C. Hot Water                                                   Dash of Salt (I don't ever add)

3/4 tsp Vanilla                                                        4 Cups Milk

 Combine all of these in a large cooking pot and bring to a boil.  Stir and keep boiling for 2 minutes.  Add 4 C. Milk and 3/4 tsp. Vanilla.  Heat it through and serve when hot.  Spice it up by adding marshmallows, whipping cream, or a candy cane.  If you are serving more than 4 people, you will want to double or triple this and add more like a gallon of milk.  

**Suggestion for leftover hot chocolate if you use a gallon of milk.  Just put the remaining hot chocolate back into the gallon, refrigerate, and you will be able to warm it up and have it again in the morning.  It stores and reheats really nicely.

Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4     Day 5   Day 6   Day 7   Day 8   Day 10   Day 11   Day 12   

Caramel apple cider

I love apple cider around the holidays.  Last year, Heather made a caramel apple cider for our Christmas party, and it has changed my life!!! Holy cow! MmM!!! I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it is! So I won't.  I will just give you the recipe.  Try it. Love it! 

It is from the cookbook, Our Best Bites (my favorite cookbook ever!)

1-64 ounce bottle apple juice or cider

1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed or a high quality brand such as Simply Orange

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 orange

8 cloves

1/3 cup bottled caramel sauce (plus more to taste if desired)

Sweetened whipped cream 

Ground cinnamon

Directions

*Pour the apple cider into a large stockpot on the stove.  Set heat to medium-high.  Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice.

*Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it.  If you find it hard to do that without destroying the cloves, use a toothpick to poke little holes first and then insert the cloves.

*Gently drop the whole orange into the pot.  Bring the cider to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer.  Simmer on low for 60 minutes or longer if you wish.  If at any time the orange splits open, remove it from the pot.  

*After the cider has simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce and stir to combine and dissolve.  Add more caramel to taste if needed.

* When ready to serve, ladle the cider into mugs, top with whipped cream, and give it a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Hope you enjoy it!! I am positive you will!!

-Melanie

Flavored Water

It is summer time, and I am always telling my kids they have to drink lots of water everyday because it is so hot outside.  Plus, I am prego, plus my daughter and I both are prone to UTI's, and so we need to drink water even more.  Water is boring.  I have tried many things things this summer so far, to get everyone, including myself, to drink more water.  My latest attempt was a water drinking contest.  It was fun and exciting for the kids the first couple weeks, now, boring.  They don't even try anymore.  

But now, I found this awesome flavored water recipe on pinterest!!!  It adds a new element to the water drinking contest.  Once they drink one of their special 18 oz. water cups (with lids and straws, I might add) they get to have the flavored water!  And what a treat that is.  The second cup is always gone much faster than the 1st.  The kids goal is to drink at least 2 1/2 of these a day.  And now, they do, easily.  And they are loving it.  

Pictured is the Blackberry/Sage water.  SO GOOD!  There is a hint of sage, and the combo is wonderful!

Hope you enjoy trying these yummy waters!!

 

~Rachel~