Saturday Morning Ritual

My workday starts at 7 a.m., so it isn't very often I "sleep in" on Saturday.  Not so for the rest of my family!  So, I usually have an hour or two of time to myself.  Quiet house. Quiet Mind.  Blissful!  Sometimes I tackle a project, but most often I make myself a cup of my personal recipe - what I fondly call my weenie coffee - and read a few chapters of my current book.  Just a small space of personal time in the midst of our busy family, and I treasure it.

Now I know you're dying to know all about weenie coffee...

This little recipe works nicely with a full cup of your favorite coffee, a packet of Nescafe Tasters Choice Instant Vanilla, or, as my original recipe called for, about two inches of coffee in the bottom of your cup.  The secret ingredient to this magic cup is the Hot Chocolate Mix that I use with the coffee.  It's called "Donna's Hot Chocolate" at our house because my good friend Donna shared the recipe after we got hooked on it at her house.  I promise, if you mix up a batch, you'll be hooked.  You need a large (as in that big Tupperware thatsa-bowl ) to mix and then some containers for storage.  I re-use a few of the ingredient containers, that way I can send some with the girls to college and have one at work.

Hot Chocolate Mix

8 Quart Size box Instant Milk

1 2# Can Nestle' Quick

2 small packages Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 16oz jar Coffee Creamer

2 C Powdered Sugar

1 C Granulated Sugar

1/2 C Cocoa

Carefully stir everything together and store.  You do use about 3 heaping Tablespoons for a cup of delicious hot cocoa.  As with any recipe, the better your ingredients the better the product.  I happened to have been gifted a container of Giardella Cocoa over Christmas, and this batch is divine!