A couple of weeks ago, my family was hit hard with the flu.   One of the things  my family asked for was hot cocoa, and a lot of it!  As one of the flu victims, I can tell you it was one of the things that just made me feel better.  One problem though, we ran out of hot chocolate packets.  I went online and found some recipes to make your own and found out that they were really good.  Luckily, I had all of the ingredients on hand, which was good because we really did not want to get out.  These would also make some really nice inexpensive Christmas gifts.  Just put in a nice container with a tag on in it telling them how to use it.  So, whether you get the flu or not, winter is here and it’s time to snuggle by a fire and drink a cup of hot cocoa.  Here’ a recipe I like and also a recipe for fat free, sugar free, for those watching their weight.

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipes

 Hot Cocoa Mix
4 cups nonfat instant powder milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (4 ounce) package instant chocolate fudge pudding
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. If a finer consistency is desired, you can pour the mix into a blender or food processor and run it through that. Store in an airtight container. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on your cocoa preference) of the mix to an 8 ounce mug of boiling water.

 Fat Free/ Sugar Free Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups instant nonfat powdered milk

1 cup Splenda Granular

½ cup baking cocoa

1 small box fat free/sugar free instant vanilla pudding

Mix ingredients together in a large zip lock bag and shake.  Store in bag or an airtight container.  To make a cup of hot chocolate, add ¼ cup of mix to 1 cup hot water.

Makes 18 servings

Per serving 58 calories, 0 g fat, 1g fiber