Hot Chocolate

Is there any thing that tastes better on a cold windy day than a cup of hot chocolate? The other day I was at Giant Eagle and I saw the cutest display of little miniature glass bottles of chocolate milk--16 ounces costing $5.95! The bottles had a cute logo, and a tag attached--I think it said “organic,” but there was no information about where it was produced, and whether it was the cocoa that was organic or the sugar. Were the cows no-hormone? I have no idea, but $6.00 for 2 cups of chocolate milk?

I have before me a package of Nestle “Rich Milk Chocolate’ [flavor] hot cocoa mix . . . 10 envelopes for $.98. If I wanted to mix up something myself I could do it--it’s just been awhile--and it could by-pass the corn syrup solids, coconut oil, and guar gum. It has 80 calories.

So I looked up the “old fashioned” cocoa. Found one made with coffee creamer--hmmm, not so much. Then one made with an egg--256 calories!

Here’s one with 310 calories (maybe you could substitute milk for the half and half):

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk 3/4 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

The Ghirardelli Cocoa can says, cocoa, sugar and milk. I think that’s how Mom did it.

The Hersey's website has what I think I remember.

2 tablespoons sugar or 2 tablespoons Splenda sugar substitute
2 -3 teaspoons Hershey's cocoa
1 dash salt
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract