HCE Blog

  History of Mocktails Mocktails date back to 1916 when they started to appear in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as well as in the famous Jerry Thomas’s Bar-Tenders Guide. Sometimes referred to as temperance drinks, mocktails became very popular during the times of prohibition. After prohibition ended, the popularity of mocktails dwindled some but were not forgotten. If you have ever had a Sh...

It’s that time of year again where we pause to give Thanksgiving. There is lots to be thankful for like our health, our jobs, the little getaways we were able to go on, and of course, our families & loved ones. In all holidays across all cultures, food celebrates the holiday event and Thanksgiving is no different. Turkey, potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pie, and more Thanksgiving side dishes gen...

It’s really easy to pack on the pounds during the holiday season. There is so much food to eat, and much of it isn’t exactly the healthiest. It’s hard to work off those holiday pounds, especially if you don’t know how many calories you need to burn. Here are a few holiday staples and their caloric values, as well the amount of exercise it would take to burn off those calories.   Thanksgivin...

If you make homemade biscuits on Thanksgiving you know how hard it is to make sure they all come out close to the same size. Sometimes eyeballing it just doesn’t cut it. So, how do you get more uniform biscuits without having to buy a biscuit cutter? Try this simple hack! It turns out, the base of a wine glass is the perfect size for a biscuit. Roll out your biscuit dough and take out a wine g...

Need to cut down on prep-time this Thanksgiving? You can skip the tedious task of scrubbing potatoes clean by trying this easy hack! All you need is a dishwasher.  Yep. A dishwasher. Make sure there’s no soap left in your dishwasher before trying this out. Stick your potatoes on the top rack of your dishwasher. Once it’s loaded with spuds, close the dishwasher and set it to the rinse cycle. J...

The worst possible thing has happened this Thanksgiving… you overcooked the bird.    Nothing is worse on Thanksgiving than dry turkey. But you don’t have to throw it out. Try this simple hack!    Warm-up some chicken broth and drizzle it over the turkey. This will help moisten the meat and add flavor back into it. You can also use this trick on slices of leftover turkey to perk it back up! ...

Mashed potatoes are a staple at many Thanksgiving dinner tables. But, unfortunately, so are many other dishes. Odds are, your stovetop is in full use on Thanksgiving Day and you don’t have enough room to cook everything you want. Bust out that crockpot and get prepared to make some silky-smooth mashed potatoes.   Butter up your slow cooker and pour in some heavy cream and spoon in the potatoe...

Thanksgiving is the holiday of pies! Cherry pie. Pumpkin pie. Pecan pie. Chocolate pie. So many pies! No pie is created equal, though. Some require a little pre-baking. You may need to completely pre-bake a crust if your pie filling requires no baking, or partially pre-bake it if the filling requires a short cooking time. But if you’re like most people, pre-baking can be a bit of a problem. How...

It’s really easy to pack on the pounds during the holiday season. There is so much food to eat, and much of it isn’t exactly the healthiest. It’s hard to work off those holiday pounds, especially if you don’t know how many calories you need to burn. Here are a few holiday staples and their caloric values, as well the amount of exercise it would take to burn off those calories.   Thanksgiving ...

Want to do some food prep before the house gets crowded when the family starts gathering together for Thanksgiving? Don’t worry about the food getting cold when you try this quick and easy Turkey Day hack! All you need is some aluminum foil, some folded towels, and an ice chest.   You read that right… an ice chest!   Ice chests are insulated containers, so they can keep their contents hot o...