Red Wine Hot Cocoa

Whoever the genius is that thought to combine red wine and hot chocolate... I love you and want to invite you to my next party! I've been craving a fun new way to make hot cocoa, and I happened to have a MASSIVE box of red wine left over from my birthday party, so when I found the idea for red wine hot chocolate on pinterest, the decision to make it was a no brainer.

Here's what you need:

-3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup dry red wine -2/3 cup milk -½ cup half and half -Pinch of salt -½ teaspoon vanilla extract -chocolate sauce -marshmallows -fun sprinkles

Here's what to do: 1) In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 3/4 cup dry red wine (I used Merlot), 2/3 cup milk, and 1/2 cup half and half. Heat slowly, mixing as chocolate chips melt. Be careful not to boil. 2) Once all ingredients are combine, add a pinch of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Stir to combine. 3) In each of your mugs, drizzle chocolate sauce.  Add red wine hot chocolate mixture to each drizzled mug.

4) Add a bunch of marshmallows to each mug, almost brimming over.  Drizzle more chocolate sauce on top of those marshmallows!

5) Top with some fun sprinkles to add a festive flair... we had these cute red lip sprinkles in the studio, so I added to get us all in the Valentine's Day spirit!

Enjoy this rich, boozy treat while by the fire after a long day on the slopes, OR while thawing your feet after trekking through NYC after a slushy snow.  Either way, this baby will warm you up quick!

Until next week...

Recipe inspired by Wholefully.