Nutella Hot Chocolate, Cupcakes, & Hot Chocolate Stirrers

What do you know???  

I finally remembered to take some pictures of one of my cooking segments at ciLiving!

Fridays in December I'll be featuring holiday goodies, so for my first segment I went with some Nutella Hot Chocolate and then made some cupcakes that look like sweet little mugs of hot chocolate and some hot chocolate stirrers.  Again, found these ideas off pinterest and again, didn't make the nutella hot chocolate until live on tv!  I knew you really couldn't go wrong though with anything containing nutella, so I felt pretty confident!  :)

 

 The cupcakes were super easy, especially since I ran out of time and had to buy store made cupcakes (gasp!) but I say when you are in a pinch and are just flat out of time (can someone please send me extra hours in the day as a Christmas present?  I'd love you forever!) there's nothing wrong with buying pre-made cupcakes, even if you are known as The Cupcake Lady.  But I jazzed these chocolate cupcakes up with a small candy cane for the mug's handle and topped them with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.  Easy Peasy.

Then I found the idea for these marshmallow stirrers on Icing Designs blog.  Unfortunately I couldn't find those peppermint sticks, so I just used a candy cane, broke off the hook, and stuck them in marshmallows, dipped them in almond bark and rolled them in coarse sanding sugar.  Could not have been easier!  Other great ideas for hot chocolate stirrers could be candy canes, cinnamon sticks, or even dipping a plastic spoon in the almond bark!  So many different options out there, just get creative!

Then I made the Nutella Hot Chocolate... 

which has probably been the easiest thing I've whipped up thus far on the show.  

(photo via Real Mom Kitchen blog)

I found the idea on Real Mom Kitchen's blog and she has lots of other hot chocolate variations you should check out, but I thought this one sounded easy and yummy!  And it was!  Here's the recipe:

Nutella Hot Chocolate

• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• mini marshmallows or whipped cream

In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, whisk together milk and Nutella until the Nutella is melted and milk gets nice and warm. Serve in mugs and top with marshmallows or whipped cream. Makes 4 servings.
This can be made ahead of time, cooled, and stored in the fridge.  Reheated on the stove or microwave in individual mugs.  If microwaving, reheat each cup for about 1 minute.

To see the clip of me and Drew making these treats, you can check it out HERE!

Coming up next week....

I'm thinking EGGNOG CUPCAKES...

What do you think???

Do you have any ideas of what else I could feature this month or something you'd like to see?