Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Ellen Cawood

Kitchen Corner

To tell you the truth, it’s been so much harder to get into the Christmas spirit this year. We are in the middle of moving, so I haven’t even gotten to put up a tree, and if there is one thing you should know about me it’s that I love to decorate — especially at the holidays.

This week, I was looking for something I could do to spread a little Christmas cheer in my house. I thought what better way than through a holiday treat. I love hot chocolate, and truth be told I have never made it homemade before. It turned out so good that I will probably never go back to the Swiss Miss way!

HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE

Hot Chocolate ingredients: 4 cups of whole milk, ¼ a cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ of a cup of granulated sugar, ¼ a cup of semisweet chocolate chips, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.

Whipped topping ingredients: 1 pint of heavy whipping cream, ½ a cup of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract, red and green sprinkles, and peppermint bark.

Instructions: Begin by making the topping, that way all you have to do is add a dollop of it on top at the end while the drink is hot.

Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl and start mixing at low speed. When the cream starts to thicken add the powdered sugar. Start at a low speed and increase to medium high. Stop the mixer and add peppermint extract. Whip on high until the cream is nice and thick and forms peaks.

Add milk, cocoa powder and sugar to a medium sauce pan. Place over medium high heat. Whisk frequently until warm but not boiling, add chocolate chips and heat until the chips melt and distribute evenly into the milk, whisk in vanilla extract. Immediately pour into your favorite holiday mug. Add the peppermint whipped cream and a few Christmas sprinkles for the kids or finely chopped peppermint bark for the adults as topping and enjoy this very merry treat!