Polar Express Night and Crockpot Hot Chocolate!

Okay you guys. This is one of our all time favorite Christmas traditions. I know I mentioned it in my post that you can check out here. This is so fun!

It's such an easy going night, and it doesn't take hardly any preparation (except for the hot chocolate, and if you wanna build a fort to watch the movie in ;) 

So stick around to see our most loved tradition in the Fashionista Housewife Home :) 

Polar Express Night

Time for fun!!! Just watch as this night unfolds years of memories for you guys to share! 

First, we get into our most comfy jammies! 

I choose some fleecy jammies with some fuzzy socks. I love to be warm and toasty, and I usually run cold anyways. 

My man chooses shorts and a T-shirt #oppositesattract. 

I make some crockpot hot cocoa, and put it into our Starbucks cups. You know, the ones they sell for $1? I honestly just use them because they have tops on them. Makes it easy to drink in the living room!

We love to bring out our inner kid and build a fort to watch the movie in. It's so cozy and it really gets everyone in the mood to settle in for a night at home! 

We turn on the fireplace. Ours is not real in any case, but that's alright with me! You just press the on button ;) We found this media console (its gorgeous in person too!) at Walmart, of all places! 

I grab a fleece blanket #canyoutellilikefleece that we got from Costco. We love these! I believe they're called the Sherpa lined ones? We have a tan and a maroon one. If you can't find these, Cole has his own blankie from Costco too. But his is just plain fleece and in a dark brown color. His is super soft too! 

The tan sherpa blanket is the one I'm cuddled up in!

Turn on The Polar Express, it's time for the main premiere! 

Enjoy staying cuddled up with your most favorite people on the planet :)

We do this every Christmas Eve!

Crockpot Hot Cocoa

Shopping List

1. 6 cups of 2% milk

2. 1 can sweetened condensed milk

3. 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream

4. 1 1/2 cups of bittersweet chocolate chips

5. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6. A dash of salt

Recipe

1. Pour all of these ingredients into your crockpot and cook on low for around 40 mins. Just until your  chocolate chips have melted. 

2. Stir everything to mix together and keep your crockpot on warm to keep it hot for seconds!

3. Ladle these into the mugs of your choice. Fun mugs make it way more interesting!

4. Enjoy!

Super easy peasy! Feel free to top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, peppermint crushings, or marshmallows with some caramel sauce drizzled on top! 

Let me know what your traditions are down below for Christmas Eve. Did you guys add this one to your list?

Cookie Dough Hot Chocolate

I know what you're thinking. 

"What?!! COOKIE DOUGH. AND CHOCOLATE. AND A WARM DRINK TO CUDDLE UP WITH BY THE FIRE?!!"

Yes. That is exactly what this is :) 

Get excited, ladies!

Just a little back story before I share this awesomely (easy) recipe...

This recipe actually came from when I was in college and living in the dorms. During the winter, we all would drink the hot chocolate from the dining hall after dinner, but it was notorious for being so DANG hot, we all would leave with burned tongues. Until...

Ice cream. 

And hot chocolate. 

Yep. Into our scolding hot chocolate, we would all pour a little bit of vanilla ice cream (we had an ice cream machine in our dining hall). Thus, this AMAZING recipe was born. And it is as perfect as it sounds. 

Let's get started!

Cookie Dough Hot Chocolate

Here's what you need. Christmas decor not required, but strongly recommended :)

Shopping List

1. Hot chocolate mix 

2. 2% milk (or whatever we use. We just happen to use 2%)

3. Cookie dough ice cream

Recipe

1. Pour 8 oz. of milk into a microwave safe mug. (I just eyeball it. But too much milk can really take away from the flavor).

2. Microwave your milk until it is REALLY hot. I do it for 2 minutes. 

3. Mix in your hot chocolate mix until it's fully mixed in. 

4. Scoop in 1 spoonful of your Cookie Dough ice cream. 

5. Grab some spoons and eat your ice cream hot chocolate!

6. Enjoy!

Yep. That's a piece of cookie dough in hot chocolate. And yes. You're wildest dreams are coming true. 

Switch It Up

Use any type of different ice cream to switch up this easy-peasy recipe. 

1. Mint Chocolate Chip

2. Butter Pecan (this would be my mama's favorite)

3. Vanilla Bean

4. Brownie Chocolate Chunk

5. Strawberry Swirl

6. Moose Tracks

7. Caramel 

8. Peanut Butter Cup

9. Samoa's (The girl scout ice cream)

10. Chocolate Chip Cherry 

Seriously, friends! This recipe is going to change your lives!

White Bean Chicken Chili (& Dessert Too)

Okay. This recipe just screams coziness to me. And my man loved it. So um, I think we qualify this one as a winner. Which is exactly why I'm sharing it with you ladies. So you can impress your family with this super simple recipe and bask in the coziness of it :) So grab a bowl of this and snuggle by the fireplace in your pjs. It's chili time!

White Bean Chicken Chili

(Adapted from Averie Cooks)

Shopping List

1. Shredded Chicken. You can make it in the crockpot ahead of time, like Mix and Match Mama does (I've made it this way several times. And it's divine). Or you can just by a rotisserie chicken. From Costco. Like me ;) 

2. 2 cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

3. 1 yellow onion, chopped

4. 3 tablespoons of olive oil

5. 1 can of jalepeno peppers, chopped

6. 8 oz. of mild green chiles, not drained

7. 4 cloves of garlic, minced

8. 32 oz. of low sodium chicken broth

9. 1 tbs of lime juice

10. 1 tsp of oregano

11. Salt to taste 

12. 1 tsp of black pepper 

13. 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

14. 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro 

15. Tortilla strips, sour cream, avocado, etc. to garnish

Recipe

1. In a large stockpot, add your olive oil in and heat over med-high heat. 

2. Add in the onion, jalepeno, and green chiles and saute until they are soft. 

3. Add in garlic and stir for about 1 more minute. 

4. In a food processor, take 1 cup of the beans and a splash of the chicken broth and blend it until smooth. This will be a thick mixture. 

5. Add chicken broth, chicken, cannellini beans, and cannellini bean mixture into the pot and stir. 

6. Add the lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and bring the chili to a boil. Allow this to boil for 7 to 10 minutes. Allow it to boil until it has been reduced to your desired thickness.

7. Taste chili and make sure all of the seasoning is perfect.

8. Spoon into bowls and garnish with whatever your heart desires! 

9. Enjoy :)

I promise. This is so yummy! Such a twist on the regular chili we make here on a weekly basis ;) 

Oh and I told you I'd give you dessert too, didn't I??? Well, here it is. Totally healthy, but so yummy, and easy. This is a great one for your sweet babies to help you with :) 

Dark Chocolate and Oat Clusters

(Adapted from Health.com)

Shopping List

1. 2 tbs of peanut butter

2. 1 tbs of milk

3. 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

4. 3/4 cup of old fashioned rolled oats.

Recipe

1. Heat peanut butter, chocolate chips and milk in a saucepan over low heat until the chocolate chips melt. 

2. Stir in the oats and remove from the heat. 

3. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. 

4. Spoon out about 8 balls of yummy goodness and allow this to cool at least 10 minutes in the fridge before serving!

5. Enjoy

Let your little monsters get their hands on these as soon as possible so they can tell you just how yummy these are! Best wife/mom award ever, I promise ;)