winter, spring, summer & fall...

it doesn't matter what season it is, i LOVE hot chocolate. before i had kids, when i was working full time, i used to stop every morning at 7-eleven for my morning dose, i had the "recipe" down... i knew exactly how much of each of the syrups & flavored creamers to add. although i'm "home" now, & the local "sev" is exactly local, i still need to get my "fix". most of the time i make my hot chocolate in big batches from scratch. (my mom taught me to pour the leftovers into a clean, but used, plastic milk jug. that way it stores easy in the fridge & is perfectly suited for pouring into cups!) however lately, i've been using store bought mixes (although i do substitute milk for the water the package calls for, in order to make it rich & creamy) & my newest indulgence... a hot chocolate maker. i know, i know, it sounds totally silly. but, if your a hot chocolate connoisseur, like myself, then you'll appreciate the fact that it heats, mixes & froths, all with the push of a button. in fact, it makes it so incredibly frothy that you almost don't need to add whipped cream, notice i did say almost. mmm! i think i'll go make a cup right now.