Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Cream from Simply Kierste {Christmas Tradition Series}

We’re excited to have Kierste here today. She makes the simple things beautiful! Take a look at these simple, but oh so cute, jam labels she created.

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Hello, friends! It’s so fun to be here with you and the darling Crafting Chicks today! I’m Kierste, from Simply Kierste, and I’m excited to share with you one of our favorite Christmas traditions. I ADORE Christmas, and all of our traditions are what make this season so special!

Every year we look forward to the day after Thanksgiving…it’s the day we go cut down our Christmas tree! I grew up having a real Christmas tree, and I knew that I wanted to continue that tradition with my own family.

We bundle up–some years there has been snow on the ground, other years it was a little warmer–then take a hay wagon out to the rows and rows of possibilties! We take our time, looking at each tree, with everyone having an opinion about which one would be “the one”. Our favorite type of tree is the Concolor Fir, and it’s needles smell like tangerine…YUM! Once we make a decision (I get final say and veto power ☺), my husband takes the saw and cuts it down, while all the kids squeal in excitement. Pictures ensue, of course, before we drag it to the pick-up spot, and wait for the hay wagon to come around and take us back to the big red barn for baling. With Christmas music playing, the sweet smell of pine floating through the air, and people milling around, it is the epitome of the season, and we LOVE every single minute of it.

Our home is then scented with the most wonderful aroma for the next month, and it makes stringing our own lights totally worth it!

{2008}

My cute family–husband, son, and twin girls!

{2009}

With our new additions…twin boys!

{2010}

{2011}

{2012}

You see the flip flops and shorts? We moved to Texas from Michigan just a few months before Christmas, and I was really wondering if we would be able to continue our much-loved tradition. I was so happy to discover that we could…and even with the little red barn.

In less than three weeks we’ll choose the 2013 model…and we are marking off the days!

Tradition also dictates that we go home, unload our tree, and make homemade hot chocolate with peppermint whipped cream, which is most definitely one of the favorite parts of the day! I’m sharing my favorite recipe, which is slightly addicting, and totally fabulous. It’s rich, creamy, and super easy to make–it’s hard to go back to the powder once you’ve had it!

Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Cream

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Author: Simply Kierste

Recipe type: Beverage

Ingredients

1½ c. milk chocolate chips
1 can evaporated milk
3-4 c. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pint heavy cream
¼ c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. peppermint extract
2 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips with the can of evaporated milk. Once they're melted, stir in the four cups of milk and heat through. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Serve with Peppermint Cream!
Peppermint Cream: In a mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream until it's just beginning to form soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar (you can do more or less to taste), and beat until incorporated. Add the peppermint extract and crushed candy canes, then beat again until the right consistency. I like to spoon the cream into a sandwich bag, push it down into one corner, snip the corner off of the bag, then pipe it onto the top of the hot chocolate. Sprinkle a few more bits of candy cane on top, and enjoy!

Thanks so much for having me! I’d love to have you stop by, say hello, and check out some of our other favorite Christmas traditions, plus fun and easy projects for the holidays!