Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

There's not much I can think of that's better than my hands holding a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold December night. My favorite kind has whipped cream and shredded chocolate to top it off and is homemade. So, put down the pack of powder, and pull out the real ingredients!

* Place your choice of milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. (Using milk instead of water makes the drink especially tasty and creamy.

* Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar, and heat until warm.

* Whisk in chocolate chips until they melt into the milk.

* Vanilla (I know, opposite of chocolate, but trust me) - Add a splash.

* Serve it warm! You can add traditional toppings like whipped cream and chopped chocolate. Or, you can make it fun and festive with toppings like marshmallows and crushed candy canes!

Ingredients

4 cups milk (preferably whole or 2%)

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 servings:

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ cup chocolate chips

⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 single serving:

1 cup milk

1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

1-2 drops vanilla extract

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 1.1mg