Hot Chocolate, Four Ways

All you need is love.  But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.  (Charles M. Schultz)

Oh, the inexpressible comfort of a cup of hot chocolate on a frosty winter day . . .  Here’s a recipe for a mighty fine cup of cocoa.  With a kick.

Mix the following ingredients together and heat in a saucepan over medium heat:  2 cups milk, 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp. cayenne, 1 ounce chocolate..  When hot, but not boiling, remove from heat, pour into cups, and shave a little additional chocolate on top.

And if you don’t want to go to all that trouble, make a cup or thermos of cocoa from a really good cocoa mix and dribble in a dollop of kirsch . . . Cocoa lush, guaranteed to warm up the coldest ski trip or winter hike.

Or forget the kirsch, and pour on the marshmallows.

Or just heat up a cuppa Swiss Miss in the microwave and garnish with Cool Whip.

It”s all good.