The girls didn't need to be reminded to put their slippers out by the fireplace.
Conductor...needed reminding. :o)
On Dec. 6th - the actual feast day:
After morning Mass, we hurried home to continue our St. Nicholas tradition...
Ta-da...
~ Peppermint Hot Chocolate ~
(I don't usually measure...so these are approximation measurements)
(Also, either Hot Chocolate or Hot Cocoa...you can use chocolate bars or cocoa powder - whatever you have on hand).
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 bar (2 oz) Ghirardelli 100% unsweetened cocoa (or Lindt 70% cocoa - Intense Dark), MELTED
(you can substitute with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder - I use Hershey's Special Dark
100% cocoa)
dash of salt
1/3 cup hot water
5 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon
1 peppermint candy cane, crushed
mini marshmallows (optional)
1. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a large saucepan; stir in Hot water.
2. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils; boil and stir 2 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and peppermint and heat. DO NOT BOIL.
4. Remove from heat; add vanilla and sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. I use this fun tool to whip it up a bit, creating a light foamy layer on top.
6. Drop in a few marshmallows (kids love them...me, not so much)
 |
| Mexican Hot Chocolate Mixer |
My kids each received a bar of this Polish chocolate from our pastor, the morning of, to commemorate St. Nicholas! (St. Nicholas was not Polish, but our pastor is). :o) This is good stuff!
We shared our peppermint Hot Chocolate with some freshly baked bread and fresh oranges from my father's orange tree...
Yum. (mouth-watering yum)
Simple gifts...*bag of coins* and a
This year, I used dark peppermint chocolates for the coins. Just three coins in each bag. Perfect.
We printed out some coloring sheets from the St. Nicholas Center
Little Lamb's work:
Butterfly's work:
(I like how she added the patches on the children's clothes)
(he was teasing me). :o)
And, Speaking of HOT CHOCOLATE...
Through several trails of wonderful and helpful blogs...I stumbled upon this Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe. I am going to try baking them TODAY and (hopefully) share them on this Sweet blog.
I have to say...I am so thankful for all the beautiful and helpful blogs out there...so many wonderful ideas and lovely ladies that are willing to share. St. Nicholas would be pleased. :o)
St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra
He's every body's patron saint. :o)
Linked up to Sweet Boutiques:
