Saturday Meanderings and 3 Hot Chocolate Drinks

Do you know the difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa? Are you looking for a rich & creamy homemade hot chocolate recipe? I’ve got the answers and the recipes to keep you warm on this winter weekend.

Good Saturday morning friends, today I’m joining my friends Kim of Northern California Style and Juliet of Make Mine a Spritzer  to share our Saturday Meanderings so after you finish here make sure to hop on over to their blogs to see what they are up to this morning!

I realize that spring is all over  Pinterest and filling the squares on Instagram but it is still 29 days away on my calendar. Not to mention it is 29 degrees this morning and winter winds and snow storms this weekend make it hard to think about decorating eggs, and getting ready for Easter, which by the way is 57 days away.

So for now, I am living my best life and enjoying the final weeks of “nesting season.”  If you have a hard time embracing winter and all it has to offer check out this post I wrote a few weeks back where I shared 11 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues.

One of my favorite ways to beat the winter blues or any blues for that matter is with a hot chocolate and a book or a pile of magazines. So today I thought I would share 3 rich, delicious and warm winter drinks, two are hot chocolate and one is a hot cocoa. As for something to read while you are drinking it you could check out my Friday Favorites post if you missed it yesterday, I do think you might need a pot of chocolate, the or coffee there are so many links.

3 Hot Chocolate Drinks

The Difference Between Hot Chocolate and Hot Cocoa

If you have been reading here for more than one week than you know that I LOVE hot chocolate, not hot cocoa, hot chocolate. Because the terms are used interchangeably people think they are the same things but they are very different.

Hot cocoa is made using coco powder, milk and sugar. Hot chocolate is made with chocolate, typically shaved and melted into milk or cream. Hot cocoa is light and reminiscent of the Swiss Miss you drank as a child. Hot chocolate is thick, rich, and decadent, almost like drinking melted chocolate from a cup. Both are delicious piled high with marshmallows and whipped cream on a cold winter day.

Dulce de Leche Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

4 cups half and half

1/2 cup canned or jared Dulce de Leche

8 oz. dark chocolate chopped

1/3 cup Drambuie optional

2 teaspoons Nielsen Massey pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Whisk together 4 cups of half and half and 1/2 cup canned or jared dulce de leche in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium, stirring constantly until heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 8 ounces of chopped dark chocolate, (optional 1/3 cup of Drambuie), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until the mixture is smooth. Next, beat 1 cup of cold heavy cream in a cold bowl with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Pour hot chocolate mixture into 4 serving cups. Top each with whipped cream, a drizzle of dulche de leche and shaved or chopped chocolate.

Mast Brothers Cookbook

Mast Brothers Classic Hot Cocoa

Serves 4

4 Cups whole milk

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces dark chocolate

In a medium saucepan combine milk, cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla, bring to a boil, and stir frequently. Pour into mugs, add shaved chocolate to each mug or add a toasted marshmallow and shaved chocolate.

What started out as Mast Brothers Chocolate has evolved over the last 13 or so years into Mast Market an amazing company that not only makes bean to bar chocolates, but also to quote Rick the co-founder ” we are roasting coffee, milling flour, blending teas, churning butters, making jams, preserves, and even homemade ice cream. We are working directly with local farmers to bring you organic grains like heirloom popcorn, rice and farro, and heirloom beans for your autumnal soups and stews. All in one place. Look for local, seasonal produce, fresh pastas made from freshly milled flour, and a growing line of house brewed and bottled beverages.” You can find out more about Mast Market on their website. 

This chocolate atole is a wonderful addition to your drinking chocolate repertoire because it “kicks it up a notch” with a little spice and a little rum. The consistency is a bit like pudding because of the cornmeal. I think you will love it. .

Of course winter days also call for a hearty soup or stew, it is almost a requisite on a cold day to have the smell of something warm and comforting wafting through the house. This recipe for broccoli cheddar soup popped up in my email last night, doesn’t it look delicious?

Today I am making a pot of creamy cauliflower and leek soup to warm us up and I am baking homemade yeast bread and almond pastries. Sometimes yeast is not my “friend” so I will let you know how everything turns out.

Speaking of staying warm, have you been watching the Olympics? They are over this weekend and won’t be back for 4 years so if you are interested there is still time to take them in. You can find up to date information here.

Just in case you were curious, Why Don’t Figure Skaters Get Dizzy?

If you need something to read, watch or listen to my friend Katie at Preppy Empty Nester has you covered with all of the latest tv shows, books and more.

Have a great weekend, thank you for stopping by and spending part of your day with me. I hope that you enjoy your four day weekend and the winter weather. Try one of the chocolate drinks and let me know what you think

Don’t forget to visit Kim at Northern California Style and Juliet at Make Mine a Spritzer and see what they are up to today.

Don’t forget you can also find Pinecones and Acorns on most social media sites,  Facebook Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Or you can subscribe to the blog and get the posts in your mailbox.

 This post contains affiliate links, I am an Amazon affiliate and will earn a small commission if you purchase something from a link on this blog.

Related Posts:

• 

  David Harbour and Lily Allen's Town House, Plain…

• 

  Kylemore Abbey, Resort Wear and More on Weekend Meanderings

• 

  Small Business Saturday and More on Weekend Meanderings