Chocolate chunk hot chocolate

During our trip in Branson, my mother-in-law gave me a few magazines that she was done looking through. One of them was the December 2009 issue of Real Simple. In this issue I found an awesome recipe for hot chocolate. When Kyla and I enjoyed the animal crackers and cocoa, this is the recipe I used.

It is rich, creamy and delightful! Since I'm not a coffee drinker, hot chocolate is part of my morning routine. But since we've begun watching our weight, I've cut back a lot on drinking this yummy treat.

Chocolate Chunk Hot Chocolate

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

8 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate

In a bowl, combine the cocoa, sugar, and chocolate. Store in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to four months. (This makes 4 cups of hot chocolate mix.)

To make, whisk 1/4 cup cocoa with 3/4 cup milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer. Serves 1. 

It's my dad's birthday today, so last week, I packaged up some hot chocolate mix and put it inside of a mug for a simple gift. He is a big sweet tooth, so this was just perfect for him.

I put 1 cup of the mix in a ziplock bag, which will make four servings. I also put about a cup of mini marshmallows in another bag. Then, I wrapped the two bags up in white tissue paper and tied ribbon around it. I placed the package in this mug that has our last church's name on it. 

On the front side of the attached card was a birthday greeting. On the other side, were the instructions for making a cup of this hot chocolate.

 Share this drink with your family and friends this week. Stay warm!;)