Winter Warmth

It's absolutely, literally freezing in Kansas right now. We're talking regularly temperatures below freezing, here, people. Plus some snow already came down, and more's to be expected.

And I'm told it won't truly get better until May😖

So I'm stocking up on all my warming, cuddle-inducing, wintery faves. And then sharing with you to help you stay cossetted in comforting warmth as well.

1. Cocoa!

Okay, obvious stuff first: warm drinks. Namely, hot cocoa. I'd throw coffee in here too, but you already know I'm obsessed with Compass Coffee enough that we order 5 pound bags of beans all the way from Washington, D.C. on a quarterly basis. Thank god for the interwebs. 
And maybe you think you know hot chocolate, but screw your #basic cocoa. Especially if you're drinking that Swiss Miss from a packet shit. COME FOR ME, SWISS MISS. 

You need to go on Amazon or to your local chocolatier (if you're in Virginia Beach, The Royal Chocolate carries this; it's where we found it first), and buy yourself some Chauao Spicy Maya Drinking Chocolate. Then go home, heat up some milk (not water, you philistine!) and whisk it in... and if you have some Bailey's, slip that in, too. It's not so spicy that it's intolerable, it just has a delicious kick at the end. You don't need disgusting hard marshmallows or whipped cream or anything but your mug and the cold. You can thank me now. 

2. Chili

Obviously chili is a cold-weather staple, and we have been on a pretty serious chili kick. I probably make at least one big pot of it a week that lasts us for a while, especially if we have it with different toppings or sides. Right now I'm obsessed with Giada De Laurentiis' California Turkey chili, which I love having with brown rice, and I have been substituting plain Greek yogurt for sour cream without anyone noticing, LOL. The other chili I'm a consistent fan of is this Slow Cooker Chicken Chili from the Food Network. We didn't use ground chicken the very first because we couldn't find it in the store, and it was the best accident, because using whole chicken breasts and then shredding them in the pot is SO much better. It actually looks like chicken and adds to the texture. We also don't add the lager because it seems soupy and we like a thick chili. Get your cornbread, or rice, or with the chicken one, tortilla chips, and go for it! I don't really do Super bowl stuff but this would be a perfect set-and-forget the morning of a party, for sure.

3. Cozy Clothes

So now you can prep for being well-fed while you're shut-in, and of course you could be in jammies (you better go full onesie) or just sweats. Cool. But let me introduce you to this awesome thing I found at TJ Maxx one time and have since been obsessed with. It's a strange combination of style and athletic wear and, somehow, comfort:

It's like a sweatshirt. But a dress. And mine is also a hoodie (exactly like the one on the right). WHAT. It's SO comfortable. It's fully random. But it combines a hoodie and a robe at my house, AND I have left the house with it on. This is a winning combo in case your neighbors pop by for a toddler play date or you decide to check the mail because you're expecting Amazon packages or if you're just tryna lounge without pants. Through this item of clothing, all things are possible. Bonus points if you find one for $6 like that picture I found of my fave.

Stay toasty, my friends.

Big A⚓