Pumpkin Pie Cocoa

I spent a good bit of time the past couple of days "whipping up" (and yes, I did use the term facetiously here) the meal we enjoyed for dinner tonight, and that graces the cover of the October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit.  It is a good one (stay tuned later in the week for the results and step-by-step tutorial), but it took up so much time that I thought I deserved a break.  

So I decided to enjoy the beautiful day, put my feet up, and peruse the latest issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray (I do seem to have a one-track mind, don't I?).  Craving something pumpkin (as I tend to do this time of the year), this recipe leapt off the page at me, and sent me right back into the kitchen.  Pumpkin and chocolate (for those of you know don't know) is an excellent combination. It was nearly a year ago when I first acquainted you with this combo in the recipe for Harvest Pumpkin Loaf. Now here I am again acquainting you with yet another and, people, this one is DECADENT! I groaned when I took my first sip, that's how good it is. Since I only wanted to make one cup I cut the recipe in half.  I used Williams-Sonoma's Sweet Ground Chocolate instead of hot cocoa mix (pricey but well worth it), and added a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the whipped cream.

Try it.  Go ahead.  I'm sure you deserve it.

Pumpkin Pie Cocoa

2 1/4 cups low-fat milk
1/2 cup hot cocoa mix
3 tbsp. canned pure pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup whipped cream

In a saucepan, whisk milk, cocoa mix, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice; heat until steaming. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream.

This post is linked to:

Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesdays
Tuesdays at the Table
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesdays with Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday