Priorities and Cowboy Food.

 

I was recently going through some of the junk that has a tendency to accumulate on every horizontal surface in my house and found a recipe for a fancy hot chocolate that I’d ripped from a magazine.  It has been sitting on the top layer of stuff on my microwave for the last few days and finally, I couldn’t bear it anymore.  I HAD to make this recipe.

Unfortunately, it was Sunday evening, the worst possible time for me to try new recipes, because by Sunday, I’m running pretty low on basic food staples, much less “exotic” ingredients that all new, fabulous sounding recipes seem to require.  This recipe called for some things I realized I didn’t have, namely three cups of milk, and a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Not to be deterred, I sent one of my kids to beg the last 1/3 cup of milk from a neighbor and went online to find a recipe for homemade sweetened condensed milk (there are many versions, but I used this one, which I had all the ingredients for!)

Armed with everything I needed now, I proceeded to make the recipe. It took FOREVER.  I fixed an entire dinner and FED my family of six before the milk concoction was simmering.  I spent more time laboring over making a TREAT than I did over an actual meal. But, then, I was making a CHOCOLATE treat, and dinner was just a humble “cowboy meal” of baked (nuked) potatoes and toast, smothered in baked beans (from a can).

Actually, for all the time spent on making the hot chocolate, it only turned out okay.  The family liked it, but I had to tweak it to make it worth pouring down my gullet.  I actually enjoyed dinner more than anything else—somehow, the simple, humble meal of beans, potatoes, and bread was much more satisfying than the labor intensive hot cocoa. Hmm.  There’s probably a life lesson in this, but rather than muse on it, I think I’ll go make more toast.

Now, since I know you’re dying for the REAL recipe, and not my cowboy food, here you go:

Coconut Tres Leches Hot Chocolate
(adapted somewhat from a recipe found in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.)

3 cups skim milk
1/2 of a fourteen ounce can sweetened condensed milk (or you can use half of this recipe)
1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
whipped cream (optional)
chocolate shavings (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk.  Over medium low heat bring milk mixture to a simmer.  Whisk in cocoa powder until well mixed.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Serve immediately, with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired. Makes about 5 one cup servings.