Well, winter has officially arrived in the great state of Missouri. With a few sparkly inches of snow outside and a morning temperature of 13 degrees, it’s cozy-up-by-the-fire kind of weather (or cozy-up-by-the-Christmas-tree for we apartment dwellers with no fireplace to speak of). A quick scroll through my Facebook news feed Sunday morning indicated that a good portion of my snow-laden pals are less than jolly about the first dusting we received over the weekend. I read a few “Can I go back to bed,” an “It’s too cold to do anything,” and at least a half dozen “I hate the snow.” Eek!
Call me crazy, but to me, the season doesn’t feel quite right unless we’re shivery and snow-covered. Yes, it takes me an extra 15 minutes to clean off my car in the morning. Yes, my daily run is painfully cold for the first mile until my hands finally thaw and my body decides it can survive the artic chill. And yes, it makes me want to snuggle in my house, play Christmas music, bake cookies and wrap presents. It makes me want to be home. That’s what the holidays are all about, right?
I was programmed at a very early age to associate snow with Christmastime. And not just some snow. We’re talking tons of snow. Like foot after foot of snowiness that starts before Thanksgiving and lasts well into spring. My family lived in Michigan for nearly six years of my early kiddo-hood (from about 6 months to age 6). We spent the first three years near Ann Arbor, then the last few near Marquette in the upper peninsula, where winter and snow were one in the same. Some of my favorite childhood memories are connected to the afternoons my older brother and I spent playing outside in the snow. It felt like we’d stay out there forever, though looking back on it now, I’m sure we lasted about 20 minutes before retreating back inside, with sloppy boots and rosy cheeks and noses, in search of hot chocolate to warm us up before heading back out for round 2.
Missouri definitely doesn’t get Michigan kind of snow, but even a few flurries can bring back floods of memories. Add a cup of hot chocolate, and I’m in a jolly state of reverie. So this weekend when the weather turned crazy cold (below 10 degrees! Wowza!), my little sister decided to serve up her hot cocoa specialty (despite growing up in Missouri, she loves snow just as much as me, which I think proves that snow-love must be hereditary.) So we drank hot cocoa, ate candy canes and watched Polar Express. I should note that Jared, my mom and my little brother also joined the festivities: Jared and my mom sans hot cocoa and my little brother with a bowl-sized cup of cocoa topped with about a cup of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon — he’s perfected his recipe as well.
The cocoa in the photos is my little sister’s recipe. She heats water in the teakettle, mixes in one pack of Swiss Miss in each mug, then adds a dot of milk, a few marshmallows and a candy cane. Super simple but super delicious. She’s a little Martha in the making.
On the home (as in my apartment) front, I’ve been doing my own variation, using a simple mix of cocoa, sugar and milk. Check it out:
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Hot cocoa
• Mug o’ milk, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups (You choose the type; the higher the percentage, the creamier the cocoa.)
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (I’ve been using the Ghirardelli kind, and it’s super cocoa-y and delicious.)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• whipped cream or marshmallows
• candy cane
Mix together cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat or in a mug in the microwave until hot (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in microwave, 4 to 5 minutes on stove). If you’re heating the milk on the stove, stir often to keep milk from burning; scalded milk is no gooda.
Pour milk into mug (or keep it in the mug, for the microwavers out there), and gradually stir in cocoa/sugar mix until mixture dissolves and all lumps disappear.
Top with whipped cream or marshmallows and candy cane. Ho, ho, ho!
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Is winter in the air at your house these days? Are you snuggling up by the fire and enjoying the season, or are you hunkered down and hibernating until spring? What’s your favorite cold-weather drink? Any family traditions associated with snow? I can’t wait to hear about it!
XO,
Katrina
Although it goes against my three ingredient philosophy, I make my aunt’s hot chocolate recipe and keep it around all winter. This makes a TON of coco mix (enough that my first attempt ended in my mixing it in a Rubbermaid container-ha!) so you’ll have plenty to share. Enjoy!
8 qt. Box powdered milk
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 lb. box Nestle Quick
8 oz. jar Coffee Mate
1 t. salt
Mix well. Put about 3 T. in hot cup of milk.
Oh, Michelle! The idea of you mixing this in a Rubbermaid just made my day!
This is a great idea though! And I like that there’s a bit of salt in the recipe. A dose of salt in sugary treats is my fave! Woo to the hoo for that!
Hm, so when I first read the title, I started singing it to the tune of ‘There’s not business like show business’, then attempted to fit in into the riff ‘Ain’t no party like my grandma’s tea party’ (from Flight of the Conchords), but this was less successful.
It’s supposed to turn cold again here, and there is some cocoa sitting in the cabinet waiting to be used…
Unfortunately, the Brits aren’t big on marshmallows, so I’ll have to find something else to substitute… Bailey’s, perhaps?
Agreed: a bit of salt in sweet things = yum.
So glad to hear my title inspired a little songsmithery. I tend to sing half of what I say, so I do understand that there are hits and misses. 🙂
Have you tried making marshmallows from scratch? My brother was having trouble finding them in Ireland, so he and his wife had to get creative. Yes, Bailey’s would do the trick, too.