(Drum Roll) Saaavvy Secrets!
Yes, you’ve got ’em! Some great Savvy Secrets, thanks to Philipp Jahner of Buzz-Feed-Redaktion. Read more
Sep 28
Yes, you’ve got ’em! Some great Savvy Secrets, thanks to Philipp Jahner of Buzz-Feed-Redaktion. Read more
Sep 22
(photo courtesy of Inspired by Charm)
It’s here….Fall is officially here. And what could be more synonymous with Fall flavor than anything pumpkin?
Sep 19
Who wouldn’t love the idea of cookies and milk (or coffee) for breakfast. But it just sounds way too unhealthy right? Not anymore! Read more
Sep 2
These special treats are easy to make in a snap and soooooo yummy! Read more
Sep 2
These special treats are easy to make in a snap and soooooo yummy! Read more
Aug 25
Our dear chum Jen, shared a wonderful article with us on the subject of lavender and some of the many uses you may not have known about. It was just too good of an article not to pass it on to all our chums 🙂 Read more
Aug 19
One of life’s all time best combinations is chocolate and peanut butter. I bet we have your attention now! Read more
Aug 9
Who doesn’t love Ranch Dressing? Whether used as a salad dressing or as a dip for chips or veggies, Ranch Dressing is arguably America’s favorite*. And the mix you use to make the dressing or dip is easy to make at home 🙂 Read more
Aug 4
We couldn’t resist the title of today’s post….it was just too fun to use alliteration here. But what is more fun, is eating this yummy salad! Read more
Aug 3
We have, in the past, shared how we pick watermelons at the grocery store but we saw this great advice on Brightside and thought it might be really helpful to our chums. Read more
Aug 2
One of summer’s best gifts is the delicious and plentiful bounty of tomatoes. Today we have a wonderful way to use this sweet and delicious harvest. Read more
Jul 27
Don’t you think little fairies having a tea party in the back garden deserve a special treat? So do we! 🙂 Read more
Jul 13
We have attempted in the past to give you some ideas about the best way to boil an egg. Now we actually have THE BEST way! Read more
Jul 5
If you know Two Chums at all you know we LOVE mac n’ cheese! We have a great one for you today 🙂 Read more
Jul 4
All Hail to the Red, White and Blue…. Read more
Jun 30
We gave you some fun decorating ideas yesterday for your 4th of July party. Today we have some fun food ideas 🙂 Read more
Jun 23
As of this week, summer is officially here. When the weather is so warm, there is nothing more inviting than a delicious summer salad. Read more
Jun 17
Sunday fathers everywhere around this country will be celebrated. Most likely at lunch or dinner, families will gather together to honor “dear ol’ Dad”. We suspect your families are no different than ours in that. So whether you are still thinking about what to serve for dessert, or what you could give Dad that he doesn’t already have, we’ve got an idea for you….and it’s a yummy one at that! Everyone will love a piece of this classic Butter Cake. Read more
Jun 3
Needing a hostess gift for someone special? Here’s a great idea. Read more
May 27
Come Monday, millions of Americans will gather with family and friends to celebrate (and hopefully honor) those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. These celebrations usually, if not always, involve food. Hot dogs are often the food of choice on this holiday. So we have a particularly yummy one to share with you today. Read more
May 26
Who says a healthy breakfast can’t also be beautiful too? Read more
Apr 29
Sunday is May Day, the 1st day of May, and is traditionally celebrated with flowers. We have a flower shaped cake for you that should do quite nicely 🙂 Read more
Apr 25
Made with only 2 simple ingredients, these are gluten free and dairy free. The surprise is how yummy these pancakes are! Read more
Apr 18
For many of us the day just can’t begin without a good cup of coffee. Read more
Apr 6
This is so easy to make yourself and so much cheaper than the packages of taco seasoning sold in the grocery store. Read more
Apr 1
We came across this simple and smart way to make up a batch of some mini fruit pies using mason jar lids. These would be perfect for your next get together or maybe just for your family to enjoy this weekend. Read more
Mar 30
Ever had one of those times when you are ready to bake something and realize you are out of eggs? Or maybe you would like to make something that calls for eggs but you, or a family member are allergic to eggs? We have a great substitution for you! Read more
Mar 24
Easter Brunch is always a fun way to celebrate the holiday with family and friends. And we’ve got an easy and delicious dish that everyone will love. It just happens to be gluten-free too! Read more
Mar 21
Yesterday was officially “Macaron Day”. Who decides these things anyway? But we think any day (and everyday) is a good day for macarons! Read more
Mar 17
What could be better for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day then your own delicious and homemade Irish Cream Liqueur? Read more
Mar 16
If you happen to be Irish or have anyone Irish in your family you might know what colcannon is. If not, we are happy to explain. Everyone knows about the Irish and how they love their potatoes. And why not? Read more
Mar 15
St. Patrick’s Day is coming in a couple of days. We tend to think of St. Patrick’s Day food in terms of dinner. But we all eat breakfast on St. Patrick’s Day too. Read more
Mar 9
When you last went to a Chinese restaurant and were handed chopsticks… Read more
Mar 4
Would you believe these yummy cookies have just 3 ingredients? Read more
Feb 26
Arguably, one of the most frequented, if not THE most frequented, restaurant by the Hollywood elite of days gone by, was Chasen’s. Ronald Reagan even proposed to his wife Nancy in Booth #2.
Feb 17
In a recent video experiment a group of adults were asked the question, “If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?” Then their children were asked the same question. Read more
Feb 11
A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say. Can’t you just taste the sweet, creamy goodness?! Read more
Feb 9
Are you planning to make Valentine’s Day cake and have dark cake pans that seem to make the outside of your layer cakes darker than you would like? Read more
Feb 5
Chinese New Year is Monday. Need something easy and yummy to make for your celebration? We’ve got that! Read more
Jan 22
How could you pass this up? Read more
Jan 19
Reviewing the list of health benefits and possible ways to enjoy the daikon radish, one might think it is the envy of the veggie world 🙂 Read more
Jan 13
When the days are cold, something warm and chocolatey is always welcome 🙂 Read more
Jan 7
No hype here….new year or anytime, this is THE BEST tea cake, we’ve ever eaten! Read more
Dec 31
Well not really! While we wouldn’t want your actually new year to be cheesy, it wouldn’t hurt if the dips you ate to bring it in were 🙂 Read more
Dec 24
Every region of this country has customs and traditions that are unique, especially when it comes to food. But you would be hard pressed to find any that would be more delicious than a New Orleans Christmas Dinner. Read more
Dec 21
We aren’t sure why it is that this flavorful drink makes an appearance only during the holidays but we know we are glad it does. Read more
Dec 18
These are a delightful surprise. They actually look like real mushrooms but a sweet and delicious bite that also happen to be gluten free. Read more
Dec 17
The French call this classic dessert Buche Noel. The English call it a Yule Log. We just call it DELICIOUS! Read more
Dec 11
You may need a fun and easy little bite of something sweet to make this holiday season. We’ve got just the thing for you…some little acorns 🙂 Read more
Nov 27
There will be football all weekend and no doubt leftover turkey. Here’s a”twist” on how to serve what’s left of that Thanksgiving bird 🙂 Read more
Nov 25
We thought just in case you were still trying to decide what to make for dessert tomorrow we would give you our favorite choices for pies! Read more
Nov 19
Thanksgiving…..It is one week away! Read more
Nov 17
The holidays are upon us and one of the fun aspects is the company we have. Maybe more than any other time of the year we have friends or family in our homes. Sometimes we are expecting them and sometimes they just drop in 🙂 Read more
Nov 12
This is a tale (albeit a short but sweet one) of how my clever grandson, Jeremy, who it just so happens came to make a cake that tastes like s’mores. Read more
Nov 9
Now that the evenings are beginning to have a bit of a chill, what better to serve your family than a hot bowl of home made French onion soup? This recipe is sooo easy and quite delicious.
Nov 6
With this very special Holiday Season coming up, we felt you would all have the need for one of these! Read more
Oct 27
Oct 23
What day couldn’t be made a little sweeter with a warm delicious cookie? Read more
Oct 15
It’s easy….it’s cheesy…..and it is soooo good! It’s Cheesy Grits Souffle 🙂 Read more
Oct 14
Certainly, the traditional way to cut a round cake is to vaguely find the center and cut triangles from that point. Read more
Oct 12
Oct 2
It’s Fall and that means apples are in abundance. What could be a better way to use them all than to make tasty apple pastries that look like roses? Read more
Sep 28
We saw this on Facebook and just had to share it with you. Read more
Sep 25
If you Google “Woodchuck Sandwich” and look at images, you will see a plethora of photos that look nothing alike. It would almost seem that any sandwich could have the label Woodchuck. Read more
Sep 23
Though we are now officially in to Fall, we are having an Indian Summer, at least here in Southern California, where your Two Chums call home. So it is still a great time for a great salad. Actually we think any time is “salad weather”:-) Read more
Sep 21
There are more than a few people in California, and also other parts of the US, who would agree with us that there is no candy like See’s Candies! Read more
Sep 19
We have just learned that today is National Butterscotch Pudding Day….sooooo this just seemed a good time so share this post with you again 🙂 Read more
Sep 18
Have something fun to celebrate this weekend? Or just need a cake you can literally make in about 5 minutes? We’ve got that! … Read more
Sep 15
Which comes first, success or happiness? Read more
Sep 10
What a clever way to have your cake and cupcakes too! Read more
Sep 4
A few years ago we did a post on varieties of hog dogs and how they are served regionally. It turned out to be one of the most popular and viewed posts we have ever done! Apparently you all love hot dogs as much as we do 🙂 So today we have some more hot dog ideas for you just in time for your Labor Day celebrations. Read more
Sep 2
Sound confusing? What isn’t confusing is how much you will enjoy this yummy treat! Read more
Aug 28
Aug 21
That is how simple this ice cream is to make…as the song goes “as easy as 1-2-3”! Read more
Aug 14
Maybe your weekend needs something special. If so, we have just the thing for you. And it is easier than you might think! I have always assumed that good Danish pastry would involve a yeast dough filled with butter and that it took hours to make. Not this version. This is simple and quite delicious….good to the very last crumb 🙂
This pastry is made in two stages and then baked to golden brown perfection!
First layer:
1 cup pf flour
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons water
Cut butter into the flour using a pastry blender. Mix in water and combine being careful not to over mix. You just want to moisten the flour until it mostly holds together. Form it into a ball. Use you finger tips to pat the dough into a circle.
Second layer:
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1 cup of water
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
This layer of pastry is also known by it’s French name – pate choux. It is basically the same recipe used to make the pastry for eclairs.
Bring butter, water, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add in almond extract. Stir in flour and salt stirring quickly so that the flour doesn’t clump up. Mix well. Add in the eggs one at a time being sure to beat the mixture really hard after each egg is added, until it is completely smooth. Spread this over the top of the first layer and use a spoon to make indentations or put the dough in a piping bag and pipe it out making “rings” to hold the pastry cream filling.
Pastry cream filling:
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Stir milk and flour together well, and cook in a saucepan until thickened and bubbly. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and cool without stirring. Cover the top of this mixture with plastic wrap so it doesn’t form a film or “skin” while cooling. Set aside. While this mixture is cooling, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in half of the cooled mixture beating on very low speed, then beat in the second half of it until very smooth. Spoon the pastry cream into the circles or indentations in the second layer of pastry.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze and top with slivered almonds. Cut into wedges and serve 🙂
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons warm milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well until smooth. Drizzle over warm pastry.
Enjoy! It is good to the last crumb 🙂
Serves 8 generously
Aug 12
Have you tried it? If you haven’t, you certainly need to. Yum!!!! Read more
Aug 7
Some pies are associated with a particular season or holiday. People just naturally think of pumpkin pie in the Fall or around the holidays for example. And fresh fruit pies seem to be naturally associated with summer. But chocolate cream pie? …. it’s just plain delicious any time of year 🙂 Read more
Jul 31
These are basically what one might call a “deconstructed” jelly donut, which is just a fancy way of saying it is a donut that you dip in the jelly on the outside rather than injecting the jelly on the inside. Simpler to make, and every bit as yummy to eat! Read more
Jul 29
Our good chum, Jen, shared a recipe the other day, that she found for making a homemade version of Nutella.
In case you’ve never tried it, Nutella is an Italian delight made of hazelnuts and chocolate. It is yummy on and in more things that you can imagine. Read more
Jul 27
Need some tips on how to freeze this wonderful fruit that we have at this time of year? Read more
Jul 25
It’s summer and in most places it’s hot. What could be better to cool you off than a big tall glass of lemonade, especially Cherry Lemonade? If Miss Sadie had her way you would all be using this easy and quick recipe to make your own, just like she did here for her mother on Mother’s Day a year ago. (Actually she and her cousin Savannah make it all the time.) So grab some lemons and a little sugar, a pitcher, some ice and celebrate summer everyone 🙂 Read more
Jul 24
If you like cheesy goodness, easy preparation, and delicious Italian food (and who in their right mind doesn’t), we have a bright idea for dinner this weekend! Read more
Jul 20
If you have been around Two Chums for anytime at all you know that my family’s roots are from the South. I didn’t realize growing up that I was being raised in a very Southern atmosphere where Southern culture permeated everything we did. I didn’t know because my geographic upbringing was not in Texas, Virginia, South Carolina, or Louisiana where I currently have family living, or in Mississippi or Missouri where my children went to college, my physical home was in Southern California. Read more
Jul 17
If you like cheese and ease in cooking and delicious results we have a great dish for you! Read more
Jul 15
Next time you are having friends over and nice warm summer’s day make sure you have these in the freezer! Read more
Jul 11
On Thursday we gave you a post that encouraged you to eat more watermelon, so we thought it only right to give you this Watermelon Salad as today’s Encore post. Read more
Jul 10
So often we think of a BBQ when we think of cooking steak, but for a truly perfectly done steak try this cooking method instead.
Jul 9
Though most of us enjoy watermelon occasionally during the summer, we came across some reasons why you might want to think about including it in your diet daily. Read more
Jul 3
Need a last minute treat for your 4th of July celebration that is quick and easy? We’ve got that! Read more
Jul 1
Crunchy, spicy, sweet, sticky and did we mention DELICIOUS? Firecracker chicken. This might just be the perfect thing for you to serve at your 4th of July celebration ! Read more
Jun 25
Moist delicious cake covered with whipped cream and maraschino cherries. How can that be anything but yummy? Read more
Jun 19
Everyone loves ice-cream and who doesn’t love a good cookie? So put them together and any Dad you might be celebrating this weekend is bound to feel loved. And you will LOVE making this very simple ice cream…just three ingredients and you are on your way to creamy deliciousness 🙂 Read more
Jun 18
Now that summer is officially here, wouldn’t we all like to be healthy and slim? Us Weekly recently reported that Kate Middleton’s sister, Pippa, has arranged to have green juice (juices made from leafy greens, fruits and vegetables), delivered to the mommy of two little ones, three times a week. Green juices are the latest trend in healthy living. They give you a great big boost of vitamins and minerals, contribute to your daily vegetable servings, and keep you hydrated all at the same time. Knowing how fabulous she looks, our chum, Wendy, asked us if we could find out what is in that juice that Kate is drinking. Read more
Jun 12
Everywhere you turn you can find innovative and creative ways to cook and serve food. TV and magazines, not to mention the internet, are all full of cooking shows and ideas for new food dishes, or at least new takes on old dishes. But sometimes old school just hits the spot. Read more
Jun 10
We all know breakfast is an important start to the day. But finding time to make and eat a healthy and satisfying breakfast can be a challenge. Read more