Bbrrr... Baby, it's cold outside!

Ok, not very original I know, but it IS cold here today. It is supposed to get colder tomorrow, with rain/snow coming. Of course, we never seem to get a good snow anymore, so I'm guessing it'll just be a cold, miserable rain. And, of course, it would be tomorrow night when we have to be out and about, getting to church and home again. Sigh. So, here's a great little warmer upper to make and keep on hand. It's from Gooseberry Patch's booklet "Christmas in July". Make it and keep it in a jar on your counter, like I do. Here's the recipe:

Jingle Bell Cocoa Mix

3 1/2 c. powdered milk
2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
1 c. non-dairy creamer
1 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together. Place in jars. Makes 9 cups of cocoa mix.

Here's the instructions:
Simply mix up to 1/3 cup of cocoa blend with 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir well for a yummy mug-full on a snowy day!

Or, a rainy night!

Here's a picture of my "hot drink station". I put out this set-up for Christmas Eve, decided I liked the way it looks and makes it easy for the kids to help themselves. The tea kettle is usually on, with hot water. If not, they can zap it in the microwave and have yummy hot cocoa in no time!



Here's another good one, a bit less sweet than the cocoa. It's not really my recipe, but I've called it this for so long and made it for gifts and special occasions for so long that I don't really know what the original name is. It's good in the afternoon when you want just a little something, but cocoa is a bit too heavy. And, you don't have to drink it at Christmas only!

Cathy's Christmas Tea

3 cups sugar
2 packets orange Kool-Aid mix
2 packets lemon Kool-Aid mix
1/2 cup instant tea
1 small box apricot jello (can use sugar free, if you'd like)
1 or 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Get out a large dry bowl. Measure the sugar into the bowl. Open up the kool-aid packets and add them to the sugar, stirring well with a wire whisk. Then mix in the tea, jello, cinnamon and cloves. Stir again to mix well. This makes about 5 cups of mix. Store in a well sealed container.

To prepare:
Combine one tablespoon mix with hot water in a cup or mug. Stir to dissolve, adjust taste as necessary. Serve hot.

Note: the last time I made this, I used peach flavored iced tea mix which was already sweetened, so I cut back to 2 cups sugar. The peach and apricot flavors really blended well with the spices and the lemon and orange. Put it in pint canning jars, attach a hand-made label and instruction tag and you have a nifty little gifty all winter long!

Til tomorrow!