Don’t Forget The Gold and Silver
Oh golly! It is that time of the year again! We know we have mentioned this before but this bears repeating! Read more
Dec 8
Oh golly! It is that time of the year again! We know we have mentioned this before but this bears repeating! Read more
Dec 7
For those of you who do not know, the word “jumper” is what the English use for the word “sweater”. This is an amazingly funny photograph of The Royals in their Christmas jumpers. Read more
Nov 29
It should not surprise our Chums that we have not put away the “Gratitude Thoughts” just yet! In fact, we found this really interesting article on History.com about how some other countries celebrate Thanksgiving. Read more
Nov 28
Oh, how we love to share touching moments! We are always so grateful to hear of them! Here is one from Avianne Tan of Good Morning America that was over-the-top generous. Read more
Nov 23
We came across this wonderful article in the Wall Street Journal, written by Melanie Kirkpatrick and just HAD to share it with all of you. Read more
Nov 22
Fresh flowers are always lovely, but they aren’t the only option for a centerpiece or decorations at your Thanksgiving gathering. Read more
Nov 21
It may be “old fashioned” but we think Pumpkin Pie is always in style! Read more
Nov 11
Today, across the nation, we are celebrating Veterans Day. Most of us know or are related to a someone who has served our country in military service. Read more
Nov 10
Nov 9
If you are a fan of the British royal family and you have access to Netflix, The Crown is a must see. Read more
Nov 8
Oct 31
Most of us will have some sort of carved pumpkin on our porches or next to our front doors or in our front windows tonight in celebration of Halloween! This is Jack-O-Lanterns big day! Here are some last minute ideas for carving your pumpkin and keeping it preserved a bit better. Read more
Oct 28
Need a last minute costume? We’ve got that! Read more
Oct 27
It’s Fall and Halloween is just days away. So what better way to celebrate the season than with pumpkin for dinner? Much less something so easy and delicious as this is! This could honestly not be much easier or more delicious and satisfying. By substituting wonton wrappers for the pasta, and using canned pumpkin puree for the filling, and topping the whole thing off with a delicious nutty tasting browned butter sage sauce, you can have this elegant and really yummy dinner ready in a flash.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Sage Butter
(adapted from blog.Williams-Sonoma.com)
For the filling:
1 can pumpkin puree* (you could also use cooked butternut squash or sweet potato )
1 shallot minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, yolk and white separated
2 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1 to 2 Tbs. dried bread crumbs
Wonton wrappers
Place the pumpkin puree in a bowl. Melt the butter in a pan and lightly sauce the minced shallot until it is soft. Add the shallot to the pumpkin puree along with the egg yolk, parmesan cheese, sugar, nutmeg and salt. Stir well to combine. Add bread crumbs to bind the filling together if it seems a little runny.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Put the egg white in a bowl and beat it with a fork. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each wrapper with the beaten egg white. Place a heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin filling in the middle of each wrapper. Top each with another wrapper, pressing firmly to seal the edges and making sure to press out any air bubbles.
Lower the heat under the boiling water and bring it to a simmer. Place the ravioli, 6 at a time, into the simmering water and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a buttered baking dish in a warm oven (about 200 degrees) while you cook the remaining ravioli.
For the sauce:
1 stick of butter
a bunch of fresh sage leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves. Cook until the sage leaves are crispy and the butter is brown, this should take about about 3 – 5 minutes. Carefully add the ravioli to the pan, 6 at a time, and turn gently to coat with the brown butter. Transfer the ravioli to each dinner plate. Top with the remaining butter and sage leaves in the pan, sprinkle with the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Add a fresh green salad and some crusty French bread and “dinner is served”!
Oct 14
Halloween is right around the corner just a little over two short weeks away. If you haven’t yet decided on a costume or what your little one will be for Halloween, we have some ideas for you 🙂 Read more
Oct 13
Oct 10
Today, we celebrate Columbus Day and, yes, we are most grateful to Christopher Columbus!
Oct 7
Some time ago we gave you the recipe for one of our favorite cakes. Today we are giving it to you again but this time with a slight twist:-). Read more
Sep 14
Yes, you guessed it . . . . that wonderful story of the family who discovered oil and headed for Beverly Hills! Read more
Sep 13
. . . . for the Star Spangled Banner! Read more
Aug 30
Betty White has received numerous awards for her long career, but her most recent recognition was for her overall television career. Read more
Aug 22
Last Friday would have been Coco Channel’s 133rd birthday! Hard to believe, but true. What an amazing legend she is and what a legacy she left us! Read more
Aug 17
We cannot believe that we missed it but Monday was Princess Anne’s birthday. Princess Anne is Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter and although we do not hear much about her on this side of the ocean, she is very well known in England and Europe. She does a lot for the Royal Family and one of her passions is horses. The last place she was seen publicly was at the Olympics cheering on the British team. Here are some fun facts about her. Read more
Aug 12
Are the Olympic gold medals really made of gold? Read more
Aug 1
Last Thursday would have been Jacqueline Kennedy’s 87th birthday! What a very gracious lady she was. Read more
Jul 25
This past Friday marked the third birthday of the lovable Prince George. Read more
Jul 21
If you know anything about your Two Chums, you know we love a well wrapped, pretty package 🙂 Read more
Jul 11
There are many things that are synonymous with California but one thing that is at the top of the list is… Read more
Jul 7
It is hard to believe that seventy years have gone by since the bikini became “the thing” for the beach! Read more
Jul 4
All Hail to the Red, White and Blue…. Read more
Jul 1
On the 4th of July in 1826, former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were once fellow Patriots and then adversaries, died on the same day within five hours of each other. 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 28
Gone With The Wind…a true American classic! Read more
Jun 27
It is hard to believe that June is almost over and the Fourth of July quickly looms. Read more
Jun 20
Minutes after Temar Boggs heard that 5-year old Jocelyn Rojas had gone missing, he noticed a suspicious car careening in and out of the side streets of his neighborhood.
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 13
Saturday, 11 June, marked the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth and was quite a celebration….the whole weekend! Read more
Jun 10
There is a lot going on in England this month and today is no different. Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, turns 95 today! He has been a very colorful gentleman through the years. One of the things he says the Queen loves about him is that he makes her laugh! Read more
Jun 9
In June of 1979, then President Jimmy Carter decreed that June would be Black Music Month. Read more
Jun 8
With the election here in the U.S. heating up, and the prospect of potential Vice Presidents being announced, here are some little known facts. 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 19
Your Two Chums always love sharing fun facts. Here are some we feel sure you will get a kick out of! Read more
May 16
On this day in 1929 the very first Academy Awards were presented! Read more
May 12
When seeing this beauty, one immediately thinks of New York, if not the United States of America! Read more
Apr 22
In commemoration of the Queen’s 90th birthday, Read more
Apr 22
As Passover begins tonight at sundown, we wish all of our Jewish Chums…. Read more
Apr 21
Celebrations are happening all over Great Britain and beyond today as Queen Elizabeth II marks her 90th birthday! Read more
Apr 13
Catherine does it again! A home run, we would say! Read more
Apr 11
The tradition was started at a high school in Regina, Saskatchewan by an English teacher 28 years ago.
Apr 4
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 18
Always wanting to share the good that we find, here is a super idea! 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 14
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former” – A. Einstein
On this day in 1879, Albert Einstein was born. Born to a Jewish electrical engineer in Ulm, Germany, Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity, as we know, drastically altered, and continue to alter, man’s view of the universe. We feel sure there is more to learn from this amazing gentleman!
Mar 11
Last night, for the first time in over twenty years, the Canadian Prime Minister and his wife were entertained at the White House with a State Dinner Read more
Feb 28
40 kisses!
40 smiles!
40 red roses!
40 balloons!
What do all of these suggest? 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 24
The London Underground, commonly known as “The Tube”, is one of the oldest such things in the world and on Tuesday… Read more
Feb 19
We came across this article by Haley Cohn and thought that you would all be interested in reading it. Read more
Feb 8
Today, there are great celebrations taking place amongst all of the Chinese population all over the world. Read more
Feb 2
Yes, today is the day that, when historically, we look for the groundhog to foretell the weather. So… Read more
Jan 18
Celebrations today are being conducted to remember the great Martin Luther King. We found some interesting facts on one of our favorite sites, History.com that we thought you would enjoy. Read more
Jan 8
Catherine Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, will be celebrated tomorrow! Her birthday will be one, no doubt, of sweet celebration with her family and dear friends. Read more
Jan 1
As the amazing inspirational writer Helen Steiner Rice said: 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 28
Even when compared to Ebenezer Scrooge, the Puritans who ruled the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600s were downright Grinchian. Not only were the Puritans contemptuous of Christmas, they outlawed public celebration of the Yuletide holiday for an entire generation.
Dec 25
Merry Christmas from your Two Chums and… 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 22
iStockPhoto.com
This Thursday night, millions of little girls and boys, before they get tucked into bed, will go to the fridge and pour a glass of milk and then find some cookies to put on a plate. 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 17
The French call this classic dessert Buche Noel. The English call it a Yule Log. We just call it DELICIOUS! Read more
Dec 15
Want to give someone you love money or a gift card for Christmas but want a creative way to give it? We found some really fun ideas! Read more
Dec 9
As you no doubt know, your Two Chums love the website History.com and found some fun information there today. Read more
Dec 7
If you have not yet got your Christmas tree, here are some really useful points to consider. They are in an article by Lizbeth Scordo of Yahoo Parenting and we felt sure you would appreciate it. Read more
Nov 30
Our gratitude continues into this week (and forever, for that matter) and, today being the day that Sir Winston Churchill was born, 141 years ago, we are celebrating his life and feeling immensely grateful for all that he did for the world. Read more
Nov 26
We set aside this day to remember all our blessings…. 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 24
The Holidays often bring house guests and wonderful “together times”. But…. 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 4
We thought it would be fun to share with you some photographs of the Royal Family through the years. Read more
Oct 29