Drinks — Tori Close

Paula Deen’s Hot Mocha Float

Since my last post about the weather not feeling very “wintery”, our temperatures have dropped … a lot … so I thought this would be a great time for an awesome hot cocoa recipe! :)

I saw this on the Food Network a while back, and have saved it on my DVR ever since. lol It looked absolutely yummy, so I thought it was time to get it written down.

Of course, I figured that since I was going to write it down, it would be even more fun to share it with you all!

Paula Deen’s Hot Mocha Float
Ingredients:

1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1 quart milk
2 cup hot strong black coffee (or 3 tablespoons instant in 2 cups hot water)
1/2 pint chocolate ice cream
whipped cream, for garnish
shaved chocolate, for garnish

Directions:

In a large saucepan with wire whisk or spoon, stir together cocoa and sugar.
Over medium heat, slowly add milk until well blended.
Add 2 cups of hot strong black coffee while mixing constantly.
Remove from heat.
Ladle into 6 (8-ounce) mugs.
Top each with spoonful of ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Doesn’t that sound delicious?? For a chocolate lover like me, it is contentment in a cup. ;)

Here is another cocoa recipe from Paula Deen, for those who might not want quite so much chocolate.

Creamy Dreamy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)
6 1/2 cups hot water
Mini Marshmallows (optional)

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine sweetened condensed milk, cocoa, vanilla and salt; mix well.
Over medium heat, slowly stir in water; heat through, stirring occasionally. DO NOT BOIL.
Top with marshmallows, if desired.

Tip: Chocolate can be store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Mix well and reheat before serving.

Enjoy! If you decide to make one of these recipes, drop me a line and let me know what you think of them. :)

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Southern Sweet Tea

You will find that most southerners have a lifelong love affair with “sweet tea”. Not just any regular old iced tea, mind you, but true sweet tea. Chock full of sugar, it is enough to make any northerner say, “Holy cow! How much sugar is in this stuff?”

I actually heard that from my best friend this past summer. She is now a sweet tea fan, and I gave her the recipe over the phone. (:

Growing up, my mom made lots of sweet tea for my dad. She doesn’t like it herself, (egads! A southern belle who doesn’t like sweet tea!) and truthfully, when I was little, I didn’t much care for it either. Somehow though, the taste of it grew on me and by the time I was a teenager, I loved it! It is my favorite summertime drink. To me, there is nothing better on a hot sunny day than a big ol’ glass of sweet tea!

Now that I have sung the praises of this yummalicious beverage, I think it is time to share with you the way I make sweet tea. This is a little different than the way my mom makes it, but I prefer to make a simple syrup to mix into my tea first, rather than trying to make sure all my sugar gets melted in the pitcher. It works wonderfully!

Southern Sweet Tea
(for a 1 gallon pitcher)

6-8 tea bags (or 3 family sized bags) – Luzianne brand is best if you can find it

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add tea bags, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep 10-15 minutes.

While tea is steeping, take remaining 1 cup of water, and bring it to a boil in a small pan.

Add sugar, and stir until it is completely dissolved. (it should be clear, and is now what is called a “simple syrup”)

Remove tea bags from steeping pot, and stir in your simple syrup. Mix well.

Pour sweetened tea into a 1 gallon pitcher, and finish filling with cold water.

Pour into large glasses filled with ice, and enjoy!

*NOTE* – If you have an aversion to tea due to the bitterness factor, try adding ¼ tsp. (a small pinch) of baking soda to the tea before adding the simple syrup. It doesn’t change the taste, but will cut back on the bitterness.