Eight Maids a-Milking...

Well, on a chilly winter evening I can't think of anything better to do with said milk, than heat it up and melt chocolate in it.

These are main ingredients...

Milk.... and the closest to whole milk, the creamier the hot chocolate. Really, you're already melting a pile of chocolate.... to drink, I don't think skim milk will ease your conscience any! It's like ordering diet coke with a Big Mac nonsense.

Moving on!  You need milk, semi-sweet chocolate, and a really good, smooth milk chocolate bar.

For 2 big mugs of heaven:

3 cups of milk

3 squares of semi-sweet chocolate

1/3 of a milk chocolate bar (about 4 squares...)

Now there are a few other items in this hot chocolate but this is where it comes down to preferences. I also added a pinch of salt, 2 tbsp of sugar and about 1/4 tsp of cinnamon.

By the way, if you don't have a mini food chopper put it on your Christmas list! I use mine at least once a week. It's great for cheese in casseroles, mixing dips, and of course, chopping chocolate... Also it has a tiny footprint in the cabinet space department, and the thing fits in the top rack of the dishwasher easy peasy. Love it.

Back to the hot chocolate!

Put the milk in a saucepan and slowly heat it up, you don't want it to boil... you just want it to melt t chocolate.  When it starts to heat up, add in the chocolate and other ingredients about 1/4 at a time and whisk it around until it melts.  When you can't see the chocolate bits anymore turn up the heat a little and give it a few good stirs to heat it through.

Easy! Takes less than 10 minutes I would say, and it is velvety, smooth, and decadent.

See those pillowy clouds of heaven on top?

Stay tuned!