Chocolate Therapy

Okay, so today was one of those 'get off my butt and power clean the house' kind of days. I hauled out two closets, the spare room, and the storage ottoman in the living room. Completely sorted all the little toys and game pieces and rocks (yes, rocks) and put everything in its rightful place. Plus two loads of laundry, cleaning the living room, doing dishes and experimenting with cleaning techniques to remove burnt on residue from my cookie sheets (I know, it's the glamorous life). After all that it was time to pick up Riley from school, of course Spencer wanted to walk. And by walk I mean make it halfway to the school stopping to pick up every rock (told you there were rocks), and then asking to be carried the rest of the way. The walk home consisted of carrying/dragging her back home, which is why I usually opt for the stroller on this journey. To add to that lovely little adventure I discovered that when packets of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes go through the washer and dryer they make everything smell like puke. Yep, good times.
On days like this, (you know, the ones that end in Y) when I'm starting to feel worn down and stressed out I reach for my instant cure all...chocolate. I don't know why, but just one little piece of chocolate, that Hershey's kiss you hid in the freezer or the stolen pudding cup out of the fridge (eaten in the privacy of the kitchen pantry where the kids can't see of course), just melts away the stress. Ah, how I love the cheap and speedy efficiency of chocolate therapy.
So, in honor of all the good that chocolate has done in my life, I am posting an amazing recipe for Hot Cocoa. Its finally starting to get colder here in Texas so I like to keep this on hand right on the kitchen counter. The original recipe comes from WonkyWonderful, but I tweaked it a bit to get it just right for my tastes.

Chocolate Therapy Hot Cocoa Mix:
* 1 cup powdered sugar
* 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup powdered coffee creamer (I use french vanilla)
* 1/2 cup chocolate malt Ovaltine
Here is where I tweaked. The recipe was good but it didn't have enough chocolate for me (I'm usually a double packet of Swiss Miss kind of girl). So, I added one box of chocolate instant pudding mix. Ahhh, heaven in a cup. Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container for up to three months. But don't worry, it will be gone way before then. Add 3-4 tablespoons to hot milk and enjoy.
And, if you want to kick it up a notch, maybe make this chocolaty drink feel a bit more "grown-up," then add in some instant french vanilla cappuccino mix. Or whatever flavor you prefer. My perfect mix is one cup of milk, heated in the microwave, with two tablespoons of cocoa mix and one tablespoon of cappuccino. Then I top it will mini marshmallows and put it back in the microwave for another minute. Perfection. In fact, it's so good my husband stole my cup this morning and finished it off after trying it for the first time.
Whether you're trying to warm up during the cooler months or de-stress after a long day (or morning) with the kiddos, this cocoa is sure to do the trick. Sit back, relax, and enjoy five minutes of chocolate perfection. Then get up and go enjoy This Crazy Beautiful Life.