Nostalgic Cocoa (with recipe)

The excitement of going to Grandma’s for Christmas made the hour-plus car ride go by as fast as the snowy countryside scenery passed out the window. My young brain mixed the two well-known songs “Jingle Bells” and “Over the River and Through the Woods” into “Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother’s house we go.”

On a blustery cold Christmas Eve day, we arrived with cold toes and chilled bodies. Grandma directed us all to a bucket full of brown powder. With a measuring cup, she kindly instructed how much powder went into each cup. Slowly, she poured hot water and mixed it into a great cup of cocoa. The warmth poured over me throughout the entire holiday.

Recipe:

9 cups of dry milk (my grandma and aunts used Carnation Instant Nonfat Milk Powder. You can use any kind you like even non-dairy)

1 1/2 – 2 1/4 cup sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)

1 – 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Mix and store airtight. Scoop 1/2 cup into 8-ounce mug, pour in boiling water, stir and enjoy!