Homemade Cocoa Wheats!

One of the absolute favorites here at The Pumpkinhaus is Homemade Cocoa Wheats for breakfast (... that is, when I am not making waffles!) This is so easy to make, and the kids totally freak out for it.

Homemade Cocoa Wheats

makes four good sized bowls

• 3 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup farina
• pinch o' sea salt
• 2 heaping tablespoons natural process cocoa (I like Penzeys)
• up to 1 teaspoon cinnamon (Penzeys the Korintje Cassia Cinnamon is my fav and the Extra Fancy Vietnamese is wonderful too.)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (Penzeys you haven't had vanilla until you have had theirs.)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (Penzeys one small bottle has lasted me 3 years so far, and I use it all the time)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or more, depends on how sweet you like it

Put water, milk and pinch o' salt in a good sized pot with a fitting lid. As this starts to heat up, add all of your spices and extracts minus the butter and sugar and stir well to melt the cocoa.

Just before the mixture starts to boil, slowly pour in farina... stirring the whole time (this is the secret to no lumps). Stir until it begins to boil, and then turn the burner to simmer and leave it for about 8 min or so, stirring occasionally. Then, put the butter and brown sugar right on top, put the lid on tight, and move it to the back burner and leave it set for about 10 minutes. While it is setting make your toast for dipping, and perk up a fresh pot of coffee.

My kids like it served up with a splash of milk and some extra cinnamon on top to make it pretty. Try dipping with a slice of buttered toast... that is the Dani and Ro special!

Enjoy!