Do you remember playing outside in the wintertime as a child? The chill in the air that seemed to penetrate your whole body as you ran and jumped for the sheer joy of snowflakes falling from the sky? After playing for hours, I’d slam back inside with a bright red nose and cheeks. After shucking my warm coat and mittens, my mother would plop a warm mug of hot chocolate in front of me.
Yum.
The hot chocolate multiplied during the holiday season, showing up at potluck dinners, school pageants, and sparkling parties. My brother and I ran around in a sugar-glazed high for most of the season.
Nostalgia for those times kicks in during the end of the year. While I’m not excited to feel the chill of that penetrating wind, I like to enjoy a special cup of hot chocolate. But I also like to kick it up a notch. Nothing wrong with good old Swiss Miss (only $0.98/box—two boxes are in my pantry right now!) but as an adult, I want something a little more decadent for snuggling on the couch in the evening.
For a quiet winter evening, I recommend this classic: Combine six ounces of milk and around an ounce of your favorite dark chocolate in a sauce pan. Use low heat and slowly warm until the chocolate is melted. Taste for sweetness, and add sugar as necessary, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Top with whipped cream if you like. Savor on the couch watching holiday movies.
But sometimes the child inside me calls for something different! This variation incorporates a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup—perfect for accompanying present wrapping on a cold December day.
Hot Chocolate & Peanut Butter Recipe
6 oz milk
A little over an ounce of peanut butter cup (I used ½ of an XL Reeses Peanut Butter Cup)
About ½ ounce dark chocolate (2 squares of an XL Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar did the trick)
Warm until the candy is melted. If you would like to punch up the chocolate flavor, add ¼ teaspoon of plain cocoa and whisk to dissolve.
Feeling extra sparkly? Add whipped cream and garnish with chopped peanut butter cup.
And with the candy prices at Uplifting Deals, you can have these all winter long!
I mean, I guess you could share with the kiddos….you know they’ll enjoy the Swiss Miss!
