Tonight I hosted my church's Youth Progressive Dinner. My husband and I served appetizers to seventh and eight graders and dessert to ninth graders. The teens rode around our neighborhood in wagons and stopped at different homes for the three courses of their meal. This is a favorite activity of my daughter because she loves hanging out with her friends, seeing all of the Christmas lights in our community, and enjoying food at other people's homes.
This year we hosted my daughter's age group for dessert. We prepared a Hot Chocolate Bar along with freshly baked cookies and a batch of her signature cupcakes. I prepared the hot chocolate in the crock pot with a recipe that I found on another blog, Mrs. Happy Homemaker. I was a bit skeptical and bought packets of hot cocoa just in case, but the crock pot hot chocolate turned out to be frothy, chocolaty, and delicious. I will definitely make it again, especially for a crowd.
Along with the crock pot hot chocolate we provided the following toppings:
- whipped cream
- holiday M&M's
- Pepperidge Farm Cookie Sticks
- candy canes
- crushed candy canes
- mini marshmallows
- peppermint marshmallows
- gingerbread marshmallows
- caramel marshmallows
In addition to hot chocolate we served:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies (I made the dough a few days ago. I baked half earlier today and then baked the second half right before they arrived because a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven is the best! Plus it makes the house smell divine.)
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Yogurt-Covered Pretzels
- Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
The ninth graders arrived at our home on a wagon and ascended upon the Hot Chocolate Bar. The spray whipped cream was very popular along with the variety of marshmallows. After the teenagers enjoyed their hot chocolate and devoured their cookies, they had a white elephant gift exchange which my husband conducted. It was a lovely evening! I am grateful for my church, my family, and for all of the leftover hot chocolate toppings which my son's can't wait to dig into tomorrow. Merry Christmas!
Linked to the following merry blog parties:
This looks so fun and pretty. I bet the kids had a wonderful evening. We made white hot cocoa in a crock pot last year and I was pleasantly surprised with the results too.
ReplyDeleteYum, white hot cocoa sounds scrumptious! Did you blog or pin the recipe?
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute idea! I know that I would spend a lot of grazing near the marshmallows. This is the perfect entertaining idea for spending the holidays with my extended family. Thanks for sharing on Sweet Indulgences Sunday.
ReplyDeleteSUPER idea!!! We have a Christmas party next weekend and I totally going to do this!! Thanks for sharing this great idea. We would love it if you would please link up with us for Fun Stuff Fridays.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-3.html
Looks like fun. Nice pictures!
ReplyDeleteI love this! I would love it if you would come share at my link party:
ReplyDeletehttp://herecomesthesun-kelly.blogspot.com/2011/12/fabulous-friday-3.html
Very nice!! I want to make this for a youth group party at my house tonight. But, we could have up to 40 people. How much should I make? I have the same crockpot as you. Could you email me? I'm stressing out!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
jen-schmidt@cox.net
Oh, I should mention. I have the recipe from Pinterest. That's how I found your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your Hot Chocolate Bar! Looks great, and I've never thought of making hot chocolate in a crock pot! I'm your new follower :o) Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a hot chocolate bar for my cookie exchange this weekend. Mrs. Happy Homemaker said her recipe served 6-8, did yours work out thatway? Should I double this for 15 adult women? Thanks for all of the ideas, this looks great!
ReplyDeleteI served about a dozen youth, one little brother, and a few adults off of one batch, but they were ending a progressive dinner so were pretty full when they arrived. A double batch should be enough for 15 adults, but you could also offer coffee and hot tea, water. Also, I had some cocoa packets and hot water on hand just in case:) Next time I'm making it for a crowd I will definitively double it.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it!!! What a good idea! We would love you to share this at Sixsistersstuff.com on Saturday for our Strut Your Stuff Link Party. Hope to see you there!
ReplyDeleteKristen - one of the sisters
This has to be the cutest idea ever! My kiddos would love this, I would love this :) Thanks! Pinning and tweeting this fun-ness.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a hot chocolate bar. I'm thinking Christmas morning this would be perfection!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from Sweet Indulgences Sunday
I love it! So fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with me last week for Friday Favorites! I'm featuring you this week!