Hot cocoa is fabulous, especially when the weather plays tricks on us by hitting the 50s one day and dropping into the 30s the next.

We've got 35 more days until spring, so make the best of it. Hot cocoa additives, listed here, suggested "off the wall" via Facebook and by staff at Hershey's Kitchens, will get you started. Plus the culinary experts at McCormick and The Hotel Hershey provide recipes:

• Ferrara Candy Co.'s Red Hots

• ground cinnamon, from a shaker

• mint candies

• espresso powder

• whipped cream

• marshmallow whip

• Nutella

• combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder and cloves — just "a bit" of each

• coconut milk

• various Torani syrup flavors

• ice cream

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract

• Grown-ups only: coconut rum, Irish cream, amaretto or vanilla vodka
• RED VELVET HOT CHOCOLATE
  
  4 cups whole milk
  
  1/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  10 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  2 teaspoons red food color
  
  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
  Miniature marshmallows (optional)
  
  VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM as follows (optional):
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  
  1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
  Place milk and granulated sugar in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer on medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
  
  Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate with wire whisk until melted. Stir in food color and vanilla. Pour into serving cups. Serve with marshmallows and Vanilla Whipped Cream, if desired.
  
  For the Vanilla Whipped Cream, beat heavy cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  
  Makes 5 servings.
  
  Nutritional information per serving: calories: 473, fat: 25 g; carbohydrates: 52 g; cholesterol: 20 mg; sodium: 84 mg; fiber: 4 g; protein: 10 g
  
  Recipe from McCormick.
• OLD-FASHIONED HERSHEY HOT CHOCOLATE
  
  7 ounces of 70-percent Scharffenberger Dark Chocolate
  
  1 pinch of kosher salt
  
  3 cups of whole milk
  
  2 tablespoons super fine sugar
  
  3 tablespoons espresso coffee
  
  Chop chocolate and set aside. Combine milk sugar and coffee and bring to boil.
  
  Strain hot liquid over chopped chocolate in a bowl; and stir until chocolate is completely dissolved. Serve with whipped cream.
  
  Makes 5 servings
  
  Recipe from The Hotel Hershey Culinary Team, from The Hotel Hershey.
  Lschmidt@Lnpnews.com