Mexican Hot Chocolate

One reason we love the holidays is the nostalgia, which harks back to those years we were little kids. Snow pants and sledding, fireplaces and family. Unfortunately, we’re adults now and have to beg our bosses for days off between Christmas and New Year's. As a make-good on growing older, we’ve got an iconic childhood treat—a mug of hot-chocolate—and made it adults-only with the help of George Clooney and his small-batch, ultra-premium Casamigos Tequila. Use premium, organic dark chocolate and reap the benefits of antioxidants and a little fiber, plus the compound capsaicin in cayenne acts as a pain reliever, which will be helpful after you wipe out snowboarding. This cocktail version is care of Pamela Wiznitzer , president of the New York chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. Ellouise’s Note: Of course, I would never use tequila since I don’t drink but I like the idea of the pain relievers in cayenne because I’m in constant pain! Mexican Hot Chocolate INGREDIENTS High quality dark chocolate hot cocoa 1½ ounces Casamigos Reposado tequila ¼ ounces agave nectar © Romulo A Yanes 1 pinch cayenne powder 1 pinch salt 1 homemade marshmallow (optional) DIRECTIONS Prepare hot chocolate according to package directions. In a mug, stir together 4½ ounces hot chocolate, tequila, agave, cayenne and salt and top with marshmallow, if using. 193 calories per serving. Pro-tip: If you’re feeling a little pyro, take a kitchen torch—like the one you’d use for crème brûlée—to the top of the marshmallow after you’ve placed it in the mug.