Real Hot Cocoa: My Shortcut Just in Time for Sledding Season

Snow season! Yeah! Here in Northern Indiana we’ve already had a 9” snow fall and more will come tonight.  

Here’s a quick view of our yard last week.  

It’s reading season, time to stay in and get some schoolwork done in the morning.  Afternoons are a great time for a group read on the couch with a fire and...

In honor of this beautiful time of year to be a family, I’m sharing my new Hot Cocoa Tip with you.   We’re cocoa snobs and those little packets that you add water too are going to pale in comparison with what you can do, for less, and better.   We use regular unsweetened cocoa and the recipe on the side of the Hershey’s can.  Here’s the problem we were having.  Often we’d make a batch and have leftovers, which if you’re short on milk, may keep you from a great cup with your afternoon read.

Here’s how I’ve solved that....

Hot Cocoa (Make Your Own Syrup Method)

Here are my directions:

In a small saucepan, mix:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa

Dash salt

1/3 cup hot water 

Stirring with a wisk, mix until thoroughly heated.  

Let this mixture cool and stir in the 3/4 tsp. vanilla.  

Keep in a small container in your pantry.  Don’t add the milk until you are ready to use.  Then, just pour a little of your homemade syrup into a cup of hot milk.  It can be toddler or teen size, but you never make more than you need and you can add as much or as little as you want. 

Peace to your family from ours, Anne

Recipe Feature: Poppy Seed Dressing for Turkey Day!

In 20 years, I’ve only made one bad turkey, a little underdone.  That HAD to be one of the rare years I hosted for my husbands family, so I’m blessed that they are giving me some grace and venturing to our house again.  Needless to say, I’ll be up early tomorrow.   

I’d love to hear if anybody is doing anything different this year, or about great traditions you have.  We’re starting something new this year, a conversation starter bowl.  Everybody was asked to come with three questions that would not come up in our usual conversation.  Personally, I hope to get to know our family better and give my kids some history to look back on.   They always have questions, so with guidance, it could be good.  

To get you into the cooking spirit, I’m going to share my poppy seed dressing recipe with you.   It uses raspberry vinegar, which is available in most grocery stores and that gives it a nice fruity flavor.

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

In a shaker, combine the following:

1 1/2 tsp. onion juice or finely grated onion (a lemon zester works well)

1/3 c. white sugar (I’ve tried honey, but it complicates the raspberry flavor)

1/3 c. White Balsamic Raspberry Blush Vinegar (or other fruity vinegar)

3/4 c. light olive oil or salad oil (I mix the two)

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Choose your favorite greens and try some of these toppings or your own favorites with the dressing just before serving:

Mandarine oranges and/or strawberries

Slightly chopped pecans

Raisins

Sunflower seeds

Pine nuts

Onions

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.