Holiday Hot Chocolate

Hershey's hot chocolate made on the stovetop is a winter tradition in my family.  Snow days, cold saturdays, and especially Christmas morning.  So naturally, being Christmas Eve, I had to make a batch for Mike and I this morning.  Sorry Hershey's but I have now switched to Trader Joe's Cocoa (you know me and all natural) so I had to look up the recipe online.  You can find it here: http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/5265/Hot-Cocoa.aspx.  There are quite a few variations possible, but being Christmas, I went with the mint cocoa.  Amazingly delicious!  Merry Christmas everyone!
 
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups (1 qt.) milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons crushed candy cane or 1/2 tsp mint extract

 

Directions

Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil. 

Remove from heat; add vanilla and peppermint. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy.  Serve immediately.