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Gingerbread Cocoa

Every year, I start in mid October looking through previous years’ magazines to get ideas for cooking, baking, decorating, entertaining, and celebrating the end of the year fun. I can’t help it. I get it honest. My mother instilled a love for Christmas in me early. I didn’t have a choice in the matter and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m very fortunate that Stephen, who grew up with a minimal fuss at Christmas, not only tolerates, but often joins in the crazy. It’s not uncommon for him to come home from work and put on a Santa hat just to sit and eat dinner. He laughs at my stupid made-up lyrics to songs. He makes coffee and chooses the most “festive” (ie…ridiculously goofy mug possible) dish to pour it in for me. I think he realized very only that Christmas is going to be over the top at our house.

What is even more silly is that I have this twinge of uncertainty each year that I will run out of ideas for baking and decorating. I am actually afraid I might get bored with the same things each year. I mean, not everybody can pull this off. image

Thanks to the good people at Pinterest and editors of Southern Living, I won’t have that problem of getting bored. As a person who treasures tradition, some things I will do every year. Unfortunately, sleepless nights and messy kitchens are traditions I would love to banish.

So here I am on another late night and I want something different than plain mocha or hot cocoa. I’m in the gingerbread mood because I’ve been experimenting with something I’ve never made-edible gingerbread men. I’ve made the ones with glue in them for kids’ ornaments, but I was ready to move up to real gingerbread. I’ve played around with them and various icings so now I’m ready to spend a good part of my Thursday baking cookies that I don’t eat. Why?  Because there should be only 1 jolly fat person at my house, and it won’t be me.

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So after making a metric ton of cookies that smelled like a hint of chinese food, I thought about cocoa. And my sad Gingerbread man who needs a prosthetic leg.

Gingerbread Cocoa.

Serving size, 1 cup

ginger2white

  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice***
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1.5 cups. milk
  • Garnish: miniature marshmallows*** If you do not have apple pie spice, use ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A couple of shakes of each or measure each to equal 1 Teaspoon total. 

    1. Heat milk in saucepan on the stove or microwave.

    2. Add cocoa and spices. Whisk to mix well.

    3. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows.

Kristian @ BamaBelle....Blogs

Thursday 22nd of December 2011

This recipe sounds SO good! I will definitely be trying it soon!! I just found your blog & love it. Your Goals for 2011 are really inspiring & I love the way you explain Clean Eating. Plus, it's nice to find another healthy living blogger from Alabama! I look forward to reading more! Merry Christmas & Roll Tide!

Katrina

Friday 23rd of December 2011

Thank you! I'm sure it's obvious that during the holidays, I do enjoy baking (not necessarily eating) treats that are so NOT healthy. I'll be back to regular food eating and posting in January. Roll TIDE!!!

brighteyedbaker

Wednesday 21st of December 2011

I saw your photo on foodgawker and I just had to come comment on it. I love the gingerbread man being eaten!

Katrina

Friday 23rd of December 2011

Thanks! He was fun to make.

mrsblocko

Wednesday 21st of December 2011

I'm just curious, did you forget the sugar? Wouldn't the unsweetened cocoa make the drink bitter?

Katrina

Wednesday 21st of December 2011

I sure did! The original recipe calls for a lot of sugar for a large batch of cocoa. I scaled down the rest of the ingredients and forgot the sweetener. Because I'm diabetic, I really cut down on sugar in most of my recipes. I just edited to include sugar of choice and to the personal taste. Thanks for catching that!