Chocolat Chaud (Hot Chocolate - Stove Top or Crock Pot)

I back-packed Europe the summer after I graduated from high school. I treasure the memories I made on that trip. Some wonderful memories are the breakfasts in France. French food is amazing. Even poor backpackers get hot chocolate, or "chocolat chaud" in French, and fresh croissants for breakfast at youth hostels. It's a beautiful thing and I remember that hot chocolate so well. This homemade recipe for hot chocolate is the closest thing I've ever made to the hot chocolate I remember drinking in France. It's rich, creamy, and oh so chocolatey. I love it. The quality of the unsweetened cocoa and chocolate chips mean a lot to the flavor. I don't have Valrhona chocolate in my pantry to use in this recipe, but when I want it to be really good I do use the best chocolate chips I can find at the grocery store (I really like Guittard) and Dutch processed cocoa powder. It's the perfect cold weather and Christmas time treat.

Chocolat Chaud (Hot Chocolate for Stove Top or Crock Pot)

2 cups heavy cream
6 cups whole milk
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)

Fast Stove Top Directions:
In a large saucepan combine heavy cream, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and vanilla if using. Heat, whisking constantly, until you just bring it too a boil. Turn down heat and simmer, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Check taste. You can dilute it a little with a cup or so of milk if you like a less rich taste (I add more milk when making for my kiddos).

Crock Pot Directions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low for 2 hours, whisking every so often to combine the chocolate with the milk.

Crock Pot Hot Cocoa

This is a great hot cocoa recipe if you want to serve a group of people all at once, because it's so much easier than cooking homemade hot cocoa on the stove and of course it tastes much better than the packets. I made it recently for a book club I hosted. This is also a fun thing to make if you are having breakfast for dinner. My kids love having hot cocoa with breakfast for dinner meals. Oh, and one other great thing about this recipe - it is a great food storage recipe as it calls for ingredients you probably have on hand in your pantry. Yay for a great all around recipe!

Crock Pot Hot Cocoa

1, 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (or more to desired sweetness)
marshmallows or whipped cream for serving

In a slow cooker combine sweetened condensed milk, salt, water, and vanilla. Whisk in cocoa powder and powdered sugar until completely combined. Heat on low for about 3 hours or until very hot. Serve with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Orange Julius

One of my favorite mall snacks is an Orange Julius. I just love them! So it is handy to be able to make this at-home version. I love it, my kids love it, so we often have Orange Juliuses for lunch on no-school days. The last time I made this recipe we had it with homemade soft pretzels. What is better than a soft pretzel and a sweet and tangy Orange Julius?? Such a yummy combination.

Orange Julius

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
10-12 ice cubes

In a blender combine orange juice concentrate, milk, water, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Pulse until smooth and frothy. Add ice and blend until smooth. Makes 4-5 servings.

Our Breakfast Smoothie

My kids have really been into smoothies for breakfast lately. It's amazing the things you can hide in a smoothie and your kids will still think it's such a treat! This recipe of course is very adaptable. I really like the added richness that avocado gives it. Yum. BTW, my kids, very excitedly, call it the Kung Fu Panda Smoothie because the tofu package that I buy right now has Po from Kung Fu Panda on it. Yay for tofu marketing to kids. I usually double this to feed my whole family for breakfast and serve it with whole wheat toast with peanut butter on it. This breakfast makes everyone happy.

Our Breakfast Smoothie

1 cup orange juice (or other liquid such as: vanilla soy milk, vanilla almond milk, pineapple juice, etc.)
1 banana
1 cup frozen berries or other frozen fruit (optional, I use frozen mixed berries)
3 oz silken tofu (or a scoop of protein powder)
1/2 cup ice cubes
large handful spinach or kale
1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder (or powdered apple fiber, ground flax, etc.)
1/2 an avocado (optional)

Combine all in the blender and let it rip. Makes about 3, 1 cup servings.

*For a less sweet "green smoothie" use soy milk or almond milk and leave out the berries.