When Vicki was growing up, her mom occasionally made this beverage the old fashioned way, by slowly heating up milk on the stove and gingerly adding the other ingredients, blending them until they were smooth.

Now, we don't have to worry about scorching the milk because we buy it in dry skim milk form. Combined with just a couple of other ingredients, we can delight our palates as soon as the mix dissolves in hot water.

Vicki experimented with some and came up with her own blend -- which she calls "Simons Country Cocoa" –- and which admittedly might be a little sweet or strong on the cocoa compared to others. She likes being able to make the beverage using as much of the mix as she desires.

Simons Country Cocoa
3 cups dry skim milk powder
2 cups granulated white sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder

She mixes these ingredients together and stores it in an airtight container.

If you are in the mood to have hot cocoa with a meal at a restaurant, you might be able to save money by taking in your own mix and ordering just hot water (assuming the restaurant doesn't charge extra for this). The restaurant will surely charge you for a cup of cocoa if they supply the mix (which usually comes in a packet and may contain preservatives).

Mike says he prefers Vicki's hot chocolate recipe best of all and that it beats commercially prepared blends "hands down."

Mike enjoys making his cocoa "strong," which he cannot get from a commercially produced packet unless he uses at least two.

Pictured here is the hot pot in which we heat up water for hot chocolate, and two cups in which the mix has been prepared into a beverage.