Winter Blues? Cheer up with these winter must haves!

In the northeast, we just had another huge storm. The weathermen are saying it's between 18-24in of snow. 

To beat these winter woes, I've compiled a list of some of my winter must-haves. 
1. Hot Cocoa/chocolate. This is the perfect remedy for a cold.

2. Burt's Bees Lip Balm. I have to have burt's bees to get through the winter months. The best part is the cooling sensation from the peppermint.

3. Essie Nail Polish. When you're trapped in the house during a storm, what better way to kill time than to paint your nails. You can make it into an arts & craft project by making elaborate designs. I love Essie because of the creamy consistency of the polish, especially for crazy colors. 

 4 & 5. Slippers and socks. I could not live without either of these in the winter. I'm always freezing. I have a wide variety of both. My favorite slippers being the Ugg slippers 

My second favorite are from restoration hardware, and they are called foot duvets. It's basically like having your feet in blankets. 

 For socks, I absolutely adore holiday socks. I think they're hilarious and fun. My favorites are the Halloween and Christmas socks. It makes your day a lot better knowing you're wearing the ugliest best socks ever. 

6. Scarves. When I think winter scarves, it is definitely The Bigger The Better. Though they can feel like your being suffocated, they are quite possibly one of the best ways to stay warm. For winter I prefer a cotton or cashmere scarf so that it keeps the warmth and doesn't scratch your neck. 

7. Soup. Who can go all winter long without soup? I definitely cannot. My favorite being french onion and after that its a sort of battle between Chicken Noodle, Beef Stew, and Chili (yes I know thats not exactly a soup, but its part of that hot liquid category). 

8. Bow Headbands. I love these in winter because it adds a little something extra to your outfit. It's also pretty acceptable to wear a gigantic bow on your head during the holidays, without someone doing a double take. 

9. Emergen-C. This is crucial if you want to stay healthy during the flu &cold season. Just pour a packet into your bottled or glass of water and you're set for the day. 

10. Films & TV seasons on DVD. Winter is the only time of year that you have the excuse to be a total sloth in your house because of the weather. Because of this, it is the best time to catch up on some great TV shows and films you may have missed. I'm currently watching every season of Dawson's Creek & absolutely loving it. 

So there's my list for some of my favorite winter must haves! Hope you find use in them & keep warm in this already freezing cold winter. 

CHRISTMAS Hot Chocolate.

This really wasn't meant to be a recipe blog.. But every time I discover something new, I can't resist!

I just got home from college today, my dad was supposed to drive up and collect me yesterday, but the ice meant that he couldn't, and so I got the 12 noon train home today with Peter.  This was quite difficult- let's just say that I don't pack light.  But it was so good to finally get here!  Not to say I won't miss Dublin terribly.

When I got back to my house, I really felt like it was Christmas for the first time this year.  All the decorations were up, and my mom had a cinnamon spice candle lighting, so it all felt seasonal and warm.  Seeing as it was absolutely freeeezing outside, and we had marshmallows in the house, I decided what better way to warm up than to make some hot chocolate?  So here's my recipe!

Ingredients:

(I used American measuring cups for the milk!)

4.5 cups of milk (I used semi-skimmed)

8oz of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate

1 tablespoon of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of instant coffee 

(the coffee is optional, but I think it gives a really nice flavour!)

Marshmallows

or

Cinnamon sticks

or 

Candy canes.

Method:

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan, bring almost to simmering point.

2. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir the chocolate in until it's melted.

3. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the caster sugar, vanilla essence and coffee.

4. Whisk the mixture vigorously until it's a little bubbly on top.

5. Spoon into mugs using a ladle, and float some marshmallows on the top, or alternatively, place a cinnamon stick or candy cane in your mug and let the flavours infuse out of it.

mmm...I think i'm in heaven

Chocolate Caliente Recipe: A rich hot chocolate recipe, made with real chocolate and whisked with vanilla. A few more pinches of spice gives this recipe a unique but subtle flavour all its own.
Ingredients:

4 squares Baker's chocolate (semisweet)
2 cups milk, skim
3 drops of vanilla
Cinnamon
Ground cloves
Preparation:

Break up the chocolate and melt in a saucepan with the milk and vanilla. Don't let it boil. Whisk until foamy and pour into mugs. Top with a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of cloves.