Baby, It's Cold Outside Hot Chocolate

Mint and chocolate go together as well as salt and pepper, Sonny and Cher, Mike and Ike, Bert and Ernie--I could keep going, but I think/hope you get the picture.  I have started to crave this in place of my nightly dessert.  It is perfect, not too sweet, and oh so soothing.  It makes you forget about the jammed printer, the annoying caller, and the car putting along keeping you from running that yellow light.

When it comes to chocolate, don't mess around with the milk chocolate variety; go straight to the dark stuff.  It has a much more robust flavor.  Milk chocolate is just too weak.

Milk of your choice (whole, soy, skim, etc.)
Peppermint schnapps (I suggest buying a larger bottle; you'll make this one again)
Chocolate with high cocoa content (dark, bittersweet, or semi-sweet)

Find your favorite (and largest) mug.  Fill it with milk, but leave room for the schnapps.  If you've had a long day, leave a little more room.  Now, pour the milk into a pan and add the chocolate chips.  I add somewhere around two tablespoons of chocolate chips, but if you want it really chocolate-y, go for it.  If you want a sweeter version, add a tablespoon of sugar.  You must whisk this the entire time over medium heat.  Once the chocolate has melted and the milk begins to steam, remove it from the heat.  You may either add the schnapps now or once you pour it in the mug.  I don't care where you add it just don't forget it.

At this point, if you've had a really rough day, you may whip some cream for the top.  The ratio for of sugar to cream is always 1:4; ingrain this in your memory.  It is yields perfectly sweet whipped cream--not that saccharine stuff in the tub.  Normally you'd flavor it with vanilla, but if you're feeling really feisty, you should replace it with a touch of the schnapps.  You're in business.  I didn't have any cream on hand, so I had to settle for the humble version, but I enjoyed it just the same.

If there is more than one of you in the house tonight, you better make extra, because you won't want to share.  And if it's only you, you should go ahead and make a double batch, because you'll be coming back for seconds.