Creamy Crockpot Hot Cocoa

Tried this recipe for hot cocoa I found on Pinterest, but it was a little TOO creamy for us.  Also, it doesn’t make very much.  Or maybe our mugs are bigger than the ones used for the recipe.  Any who.  I changed it just a bit and it solved both problems nicely!
Here’s how I made our slightly less creamy hot cocoa :)
CREAMY CROCKPOT HOT COCOA
1 cup heavy cream
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
2 cups milk chocolate chips
8 cups of milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Stir all the ingredients together in your crockpot.  Cover, & cook on low for 2 hours.  Whisk occasionally. 
I used my immersion (stick) blender before serving to froth the cocoa a bit.  It makes it lighter, but is definitely optional.
When it’s smooth and heated, ladle the hot cocoa into mugs....

and garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream.  Or just plain is fine, too!

Now relax with your family and enjoy your cocoa :)

Ridiculous

ri·dic·u·lous  adj  \rə-ˈdi-kyə-ləs\
Definition of RIDICULOUS: arousing or deserving ridicule : extremely silly or unreasonable : absurd, preposterous, laughable

Accurate words to describe  February so far. . . absurdly, unreasonably, ridiculously cold.   

Hope it’s much nicer (or at least above zero) where you are  :)

Rag Snowman Garland

  
A friend of mine decorates her house with a different monthly theme.  Yes, MONTHLY!

And not just a few little knick knacks. 

She all out decorates. 

Every month. 

All.Year. 

While I don’t have the time/energy/storage space to have a monthly theme, I do big puffy heart dedicating January to sNoW and sNoWmEn.  Knowing I have lots of fun snowmen in the wings takes some of the sting out of packing up the Christmas decor for next year. 

Here's a sneak peak of a rag and wood garland I just finished.  The mittens are cut from wood and hand painted  with a plaid and snowman design.  They’re strung on jute twine -- loving the rag strips!!

Just hanging out, waiting for January :)

Time to think garden

I can’t wait for anything green to replace this blanket of snow.  At least it has melted down just enough for the top of the raised bed frames to peep through.

Many more snow storms stand between now and gardening season.  Yet, it is time to think of the garden and start the plants indoors.  Our garden season is short and can be brutally cold.  Having healthy and strong plants to set out when the weather finally warms makes a big difference in the garden’s productivity. 

Nursery centers have a nice selection of purdy vegetable plants all ready for you to purchase.  But they have gotten so expensive!  Last year they were $2-$5 PER PLANT! Unless you only need a plant or two for a small container garden – YIKES!

Starting plants indoors will give you a much broader choice of seed varieties.  Next week I’ll share how to make your own seed starting pots from newspaper.  Until then, here are some of my favorite seed companies:     

Pinetree Garden Seeds
Seeds of Change
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange 
Totally Tomatoes  
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Vermont Bean Seed Company

Once you order seeds your mailbox will be perpetually filled with colorful seed catalogs to dream over during the cold wintry months.  Do you have a favorite seed catalog?

 

Posted to Works-For-Me-Wednesday. 

Not enough hours…

in my days lately.  I’m sure you know the feeling. 

Desperately trying to keep up with homeschool, work and a few special requests for my Etsy shop. 

Here are the newest items in PrairieCottageRose: 

Crocheted cotton spa set and handmade soap in a vintage carved and lined box.  I’m really loving this box.  A lot. 

Snowman table  runner with red scarves.  I’m so happy with how they turned out.  This is a close up of 2 snowmen, but there are 5  of them, cut paper doll style in this runner. 

This one is my absolute favorite.  I love the colors… not just for Christmas, but for the snowy winter months, too.  It is already on the way to its new home. Yay!

SaNTa table runners in green and red. 

Santa coffee cozies in red or green. 

Up next:  Baby Jesus table runners, a special suggestion from a sweet and patient buyer in AuSTRaLiA!

So how’s your Monday starting so far?

The Season to Prepare

Pictured above are hand crocheted Christmas stockings from my Etsy shop.  Of course, the baby Jesus stocking is my favorite.  I made stockings like these for each of my babies on their first Christmas.  They have lasted for 25 years and counting and always bring me lots of compliments. 

Every year at this time I am busy, busy, busy preparing for the hectic Christmas season. So busy I barely have time to prepare for our own Christmas. This is the time of year when I am making, listing and packaging day and night.  Sleep? Not much, thank you.  I have creations that need to be in someone's stocking or under their Christmas tree this year.

This week, in addition to the stockings, I’ve been making more scarves and neck warmers for Prairiecottagerose.  Cold weather is already well established at the prairie cottage and will soon be make its way to where you are:

In an effort to use up all of my yarn before buying more, I’ve also been making reusable coffee sleeves.  An easy way to go green or slip one on a cup and include a little gift card for a fast and easy gift for neighbors and teachers:  

Look at the latest adorable baby shoes I made for puddintoes: 

Of late, there has been a movement to support handmade and the little people like me. When selecting your holiday gifts this season remember all of us who prepared and worked the whole  year long to bring our creations to you. We don't crank these out in huge factories with the latest machines and technology.  They come from our hearts and our genuine love of creating.  Always with a smile, knowing someone is truly going to appreciate receiving our handmade gift this year.

The process of designing a new creation and making it with my own 2 hands is such a joy to me.  It is difficult to even put it into words. A big thank you to all of you that support handmade artists and crafters this Christmas season.

Please visit the Weekend Boutique at Pretty Organized Palace for more handmade gift ideas!