Peppermint Hot Chocolate Rims

Can we have a little chat about couponing real quick?  I do not watch couponing shows.  I have heard of them.  I have heard there are people who spend hours a day cutting coupons and who actually *make* money when they go through the check-out line of the grocery store.  To be honest, I am completely befuddled by this.  Sometimes I get ambitious and I look through those coupon pages that come in the newspaper.  I usually end up throwing them away when I realize the coupons either require you to buy twelve sticks of deoderant to get a free one, or save you 25 cents on a package of paper towels.  (Since the big package of paper towels costs like $10 and I spend 25 cents on gum like every time I pass a gumball machine, I find this slightly ridiculous.  Also, being OCD I have panic attacks when I have a million little crumpled coupons overflowing out of all the corners of my purse, so I usually decide it's not worth saving the 25 cents.) 

Anyways.  This was before I discovered Coupon Loving Chicks through Lark's Country Heart (possibly the nicest person in the world and totally the reason I have more than six Facebook friends).  These ladies find coupons for you and post them on their Facebook wall.

Coupon of the day- A 10$ gift card when you spend $50 at Target.  (I'm just gonna assume that I'm not the only one that can't get out of there without spending $50-$100.)  It's basically free money!  Plus then you can justify spending $10 on Lipsmackers or boot socks.  Maybe coupons *are* good for something after all. I am totally converted.

Visit Target's Facebook page, and follow their link to print the coupon; it's only good through Dec 3rd!


Now that we have that out of the way.  I'm going to show you my favorite way to serve hot chocolate, and one of my favorite Christmas "recipes".   Peppermint rimmed mugs.  The great thing about this is it takes about 2 minutes to do. It's INSANELY easy. (Read: Edward Scissorhands can do this.  And he has no hands.)

Also it looks fancy so everyone will think you're kind of a domestic diva.

Plus peppermint hot chocolate is kind of the best.

Peppermint Rims

-White candy melts (I prefer the Make'n'mold brand from Hobby Lobby), or almond bark
-Candy canes, unwrapped and snapped in 3 or 4 pieces

Place your candy cane pieces in a food processor and pulse until you have pieces fine enough to fit on the rim of your mugs.  Mostly you just want the huge pieces to be broken up so gravity doesn't make the heavy pieces slide off.  I used 3 candy canes and had plenty for 3 mugs plus leftovers which I saved for next time.
Don't pulse too long or your candy canes will turn to dust.

Pour your crushed canes into a small strainer to strain out the dust.  Place the large pieces in a soup bowl (large enough to accommodate the entire rim of your mugs).  Save the candy cane dust for another treat. (Hint Hint)

Put your candy melts in another soup bowl, large enough to accommodate the entire rim of your mugs.  Microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.  (How many melts you use is up to you, just make sure your chocolate is about 1/4 inch deep, or as deep as you want to dip your rim.)

Turn each mug over and dip the rim directly down into the chocolate.

Pull straight up and immediately dip your mug straight down into the bowl of candy cane pieces.  Don't grind your mug around; the chocolate will pick up the candy just fine on it's own.

Turn upright and place mugs in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to harden completely.  Then fill with hot chocolate and serve!