Guys. A sleeping beast has been awakened. Our time in Italy reminded me just how much I love cappuccinos and now, while now...I.can't.stop.having.them. If I was looking for the exact word to describe this, it would probably be, ummmm.....ADDICTED. Yeah...I have a problem. They're just so creamy and dreamy and delicious, who wouldn't want dive their taste buds straight into one every morning? I mean, let's be honest...how the heck else do you think this girl gets out of bed? It's certainly not because of three clocks and one loving husband/human alarm. But show me a cappuccino and I'm up faster than you can say "Hopped up outta bed, turned my swag on". Unfortunately, good cappuccinos are harder to find here (I can't possibly imagine why!) and a bit pricier. We grabbed a few boxes of cappuccino mix with us to bring home (see them here), but sadly we used those up in about 2.583, and refills seem to be nonexistent on our store shelves. I've also used (and loved) the Trader Joe's cappuccino mix for years, but even that has been replaced with some awkward tasting gingerbread latte mix. Ummmm thanks, but no. As I was pondering over the perplexing problem of what to do, a little gem popped into my head, a cappuccino recipe that I used to make when I was younger. I excitedly purchased all the ingredients, immediately set to working mixing up a batch, and happily have resumed my daily cappuccino fix (or 2). This mix is absolutely mind-blowingly delicious and even easier to mix up. It's also perfect as a gift, unless you're like me and refuse to share. No, really. Just ask Mr.RC. He's tried to bring a jar into a work and I won't let him. He claims I'm being greedy, but really I'm just trying to save him from lugging a big ol' container into work. I know...I'm so thoughtful. I think I'll go reward myself with another cappuccino!

P.S. If you want to know more about the cinnamon and its cool container (seen in the picture below), you can read about it here and see how it makes the perfect gift that gives back.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup powdered hazelnut creamer (I used Coffee-mate, but use whatever flavor you prefer)

• 1 cup hot chocolate mix (I used 1 box {10 packets}of Swiss Miss packets)

• 2/3 cup instant coffee (I used Nescafe)

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix together all ingredients. Store the mix in an airtight container.

2. To make a cappuccino, simply stir 3 tablespoons of mix into 6 ounces of hot water. For a more decadent treat, use hot milk instead of the water.

NOTES

• This will make about 3 1/4 cups of dry mix and approximately 16 cappuccinos.

• If you prefer to have a non-chocolate flavor, simply double the amount of the creamer used. Also, don't be afraid to experiment and try using different flavors of creamer and/or hot chocolate mix (like caramel or French vanilla).