Jan 29
How many times, when you are excited to make something, do you go to the larder and find that you do not have one of the main ingredients? Here is a list of a few things that you can substitute out that you might find helpful for the next time that happens.
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Jan 29
How many times, when you are excited to make something, do you go to the larder and find that you do not have one of the main ingredients? Here is a list of a few things that you can substitute out that you might find helpful for the next time that happens. Read more
Jan 28
There are few things that all of us share as memories of childhood but it seems that play dough is one of them. There is something so soothing about playing with that smooth, soft dough. Rolling it into long “ropes” and squishing it between our fingers, many of us could pass many happy hours just playing with our play dough. Read more
Jan 25
“And they ate blueberry muffins and lived happily ever after.” If this could be the ending to a fairy tale that you would enjoy being part of, then this is your happy day!
Jan 24
If you have ever been to La Scala in Beverly Hills you know just how perfect a salad can be. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to visit there yet, we have good news. We have the recipe for the best chopped salad ever made! Read more
Jan 23
Ever wonder what to do with that lump of oatmeal after breakfast that no one ate? Here is one delicious and simple answer…Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Bread! Read more
Jan 22
Besides being a wonderfully sweet and tastey “nosh”, the pineapple has served as a symbol of hospitality and warm welcome through the history of the Americas. Read more
Jan 21
Today we reflect on the impact that Dr. Martin Luther King had on us as a society and a nation. And we inaugurate our 44th president. Read more
Jan 18
Chicken soup is synonymous for most people with being a homemade remedy for anything that’s got you down. In the neighborhood I grew up in, and amongst some of my Jewish friends now, it is known as Jewish penicillin. Read more
Jan 17
What you don’t know actually CAN hurt you…and especially can hurt those little people and pets you love! Read more
Jan 16
Let’s face it, from time to time we all find ourselves with leftovers. If there happens to be a lot left over, after a couple of meals we’re tired of whatever it was and ready to move on. If there is only a little left, we have no idea what to do with it, but we feel guilty about the idea of throwing away food. So we wrap things up and put them aside or in the refrigerator where they sit until they become a science experiment, and we don’t feel so bad about throwing them away anymore. Read more
Jan 15
Some fabulous easy-to-follow tips for your work in the kitchen! Read more
Jan 14
Put your car keys beside your bed at night. Read more
Jan 11
How many little hands does it take to make a pie? As many as you can get to help you would be my answer 🙂 Read more
Jan 10
“Downton Abbey or Highclere Castle?” you ask. “Well,” you think to yourself, “it definitely looks like Downton Abbey but what is this other Castle that is mentioned? Read more
Jan 9
I came across this wonderful book, A Year In The Life of a Duchess, Catherine HRH*, The Duchess of Cambridge, and how on earth could I resist?! Read more
Jan 8
Know someone who is celebrating a birthday, anniversary, a job well done or who is under the weather and could use a bit of joy? A simple and simply beautiful arrangement of roses is always a welcome gift. Read more
Jan 7
Jan 4
The new year has begun and, for some of us, it’s time to get out of the rut of the meals we make week in and week out. Some repetition is good and some special meals feel like comfort food. But some dinners we make are the result of just not being able to come up with anything new. Read more
Jan 3
Jan 2
Your Two Cbums spent a wonderful evening at dear friends’ welcoming in the new year. It was a sweet evening – lots of grazing through wonderful appetizers and desserts!
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Jan 1
Dec 31
At the stroke of midnight tonight, in most English speaking countries, the music of “Auld Lang Syne” will be heard echoing through walls and down streets. Read more
Dec 28
If there is anything you should know about your Two Chums, it would be that we love a celebration and we are very fond of traditions. Read more
Dec 27
New Year’s Eve is coming up quickly. Whether you are hosting a large party, an intimate gathering of friends, or you are headed to a potluck at your neighbor’s home, you will no doubt be sharing food along with some fun with your friends and family. And no matter what name you assign them – appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, or canapes – bite sized savory treats are sure to please! Read more
Dec 26
What is “Boxing Day”, anyway?
Is it when all the boxes go back into the attic with the Christmas decorations put back safely inside? Or, is it when all the boxes containing the Christmas gifts are burned in the fireplace?
Or, there again, is it when the biggest boxing match of the season is played in certain countries? Read more
Dec 25
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
Dec 24
On this that holiest of night’s in the Christian faith, we remember the night that Jesus was born. The holy scriptures say God became flesh and dwelt among us. One of the many names of Christ is Immanuel which literally means “God with us”. Read more
Dec 21
We hear about angels throughout the Bible. From the very beginning, in Genesis, to the very end, in Revelation, there are numerous mentions of angels, more than two hundred times. But, are they real? Do they really exist?
Dec 20
Every so often we hear a story that just brings tears to our eyes. This is one of those stories. It was originally printed in Readers Digest in December of 1954 and has apparently been circulating ever since. Read more
Dec 19
We have all heard or sung this song hundreds of times throughout the holidays but did you ever stop to wonder what it is really all about? Partirdges in pear trees and maids a milking…very strange indeed unless you know the history behind this lovely carol. Now you will 🙂 Read more
Dec 18
Christmas is one week from today. Are there still people on your list that you just can’t figure out what the right gift would be…an uncle, a grandfather, a niece or nephew? We have some ideas. Is there someone who has everything and you wonder what could you give them that would be special or meaningful for them? Or maybe your budget is wearing thin and you still have teachers or neighbors, the postman or gardener or babysitter you want to remember…we have some ideas for those gifts too. Read more
Dec 17
Tradition plays such a huge part in the Christmas season and watching our favorite movies is one of those traditions! Having the whole family curl up on a comfy sofa with a blanket and some hot chocolate and then clicking on one of our favorite movies is the best! Read more
Dec 14
Having trained to sing while I was growing up, I have never lost the love of singing! No, unfortunately, I did not pursue voice in a professional way but, nonetheless, I always have had it to enjoy! And enjoy I did and do! Read more
Dec 13
This week has been devoted to holiday traditions and memories. These are the things that connect us to our history and to each other. Food is a big part of that history and those special family memories. If you already have food traditions, nurture them and pass them on. If you don’t, now is a good time to begin creating them. And there is nothing like a special cookie that you make year to year to trigger the sweet memories of family gatherings. Read more
Dec 12
Food is so much more than what we eat to sustain ourselves physically. It has the power to nurture us in many ways. For most of us there are foods that the sight, or smell, or certainly the taste of, can transport us back in time or to another place altogether or remind us of the people we love.
Dec 11
“What is a blintz?” many of you may be asking. It is a little pocket of yumminess, that’s what it is:) On this, the 4th day of Hanukkah we want to share with all our “chums” this very delicious treat that can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, lunch, a light supper or a late night snack. Read more
Dec 10
My maternal grandmother’s name was Willie. My brothers, cousins and I called her ‘Nanner’, her grandmother name to us. But her nieces and nephews called her “Aunt Bill”. Read more
Dec 7
Tomorrow night at sundown begins the Jewish Festival of Lights known as Hanukkah. Every community has its unique Hanukkah traditions, but there are some traditions that are almost universally practiced. They are: lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel and eating fried foods. Read more
Dec 6
Dec 5
Of all the things we have shared over the years, the thing that has probably bound us so close together as “Chums” is our laughter. It is why of all the thousands of photos over the last 25+ years we had to choose from , the one we chose to put on this website is a photo of the two of us laughing with each other…the one you see here in the right hand column. Read more
Dec 4
As we sat down to plan the posts for our site this month we knew we wanted to do something about giving to others less fortunate. We really weren’t sure what it would be or what it would look like but we were confident that by the time we needed it something would come to us. And something did! Read more
Dec 3
When Father Christmas arrived at our house, he always found a plate of mince tarts and a tall, cold glass of milk. Read more
Nov 30
Here we are again with more Savvy Secrets! We know that sugar is a sweetener but can it be helpful as well? Read more
Nov 29
If you are a regular “chum” of ours you will probably remember my story about growing up in a very Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. Add to that the fact that I have a Jewish son-in-law, and two precious Jewish grandchildren, and you can see that my bond to Jewish people has only continued to grow stronger as the years go by. As a result I have a great respect and fondness for all things Jewish. Hannukah is no exception. Read more
Nov 28
What could possibly be better than a double chocolate cookie? Why, double the ways to eat it, of course:) Read more
Nov 27
Most of us somewhere along the way have heard the Bible scripture from I Corinthians 13. Perhaps in church or maybe at a wedding. If you haven’t ever read it or haven’t read it recently, now would be a good time to do that. It speaks about the importance of love and that without it everything we do is really meaningless. You can click here to get a link for you to read it on line. We came across a paraphrased version of this beautiful scripture that adds a whole new perspective to all the activities that we will be engaging in during this holiday season. Read more
Nov 26
It is always such fun to put up the advent calendar and count down the days to Christmas! Read more
Nov 23
The holidays are upon us and what would the holiday season be without a few beautifully wrapped presents? Read more
Nov 22
On this day of giving thanks, we want to share with you something that came our way recently that sums up how we feel about gratitude. Read more
Nov 21
On the day after Thanksgiving there is always the question of what to do with all the leftover turkey. We know this is the day BEFORE Thanksgiving but we have a suggestion that we think you and your family will really enjoy the day after….Turkey Pot Pie:) Read more
Nov 20
When most people think of a Thanksgiving pie they automatically think pumpkin. But in my family it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without Pecan Pie:) Read more
Nov 19
Did Pollyanna have it all wrong? We know that this was a fictional children’s book that was then made into a Hollywood movie but your Two Chums feel strongly that there is an amazing message in this work that is worth hanging onto! Read more
Nov 17
This week we have talked about chocolate, eggs, butter, and cheese. Each of these things is wonderful and tasty by itself. But put them all together and you get ……Chocolate Cheese Cake of course! It is hard to imagine a tastier result of this happy combination of yummy ingredients! Read more
Nov 15
People have been enjoying cheese for many, many, many years. It is not known exactly how many but it is believed that cheese was discovered accidentally between 8000 and 3000 BC.
Nov 14
Julia Childs is famous for having said in the unmistakeable voice of hers, “Fat tastes good!” That is so true and truer still is the undeniable fact “Butter tastes good!” Your Two Chums love our butter 🙂 Read more
Nov 13
If you are old enough, you will remember an ad campaign for eggs that touted “The Incredible Edibile Egg”. And incredible they are, for many reasons! Read more
Nov 11
It is odd to think of life without a good piece of chocolate! Although the peoples of the United States were introduced to drinking chocolate in the mid-1700’s, it was not until the mid-1800’s that they were able to enjoy chocolates, as we know them today, and not until later on in the 1800’s that milk chocolate was being made.
Nov 9
As the holidays approach, we all will either host or attend any numbers of parties and gatherings. Your Two Chums would like to offer you, over the next several weeks, some of our favorite cookie recipes to serve or give as hostess gifts. Today’s recipe offering is for Oatmeal Butterscotch cookies….aka Oatmeal Scotchies.
Nov 8
I learned to love apple crumble whilst at boarding school in England. It was one of my favorite deserts and, indeed, is served at many an English table. Read more
Nov 7
Ever wonder why we commonly use certain expressions that don’t really make any sense in our current world? Here are the explanations for just a few that we thought you would find interesting…we sure did:)
Nov 6
Two things seem to be quintessentially American…our democracy and apple pie 🙂
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Nov 5
Nov 2
“Oh, I could never do that!” We hear this all the time when we mention, “Why don’t you color your own hair?” Read more
Nov 1
Oct 31
When my youngest daughter, Amanda was little she couldn’t remember the word Halloween one year, so she just kept saying to everyone she saw “Happy Pumpkin Day!” She wasn’t entirely wrong. This is the day that all across this country we most associate with pumpkins. So besides the use of pumpkins for decorating, we wanted to give you one of our favorite pumpkin recipes…Pumpkin Bread. Read more
Oct 30
There is more than one way to decorate a pumpkin for Halloween…and a lot of creative fun to be had in the process 🙂
Oct 29
It is hard to resist a nice slice of pie…especially one that is this silky and sweet! Read more
Oct 26
Some years ago there was a wonderful restaurant spot off the beaten track, in Los Angeles, that was opened by the Lawry’s company called Lawry’s California Center. In addition to the restaurant, one could buy all the Lawry’s products there and see the history of this well known food empire. There was a lovely patio for dining and some very satisfying food that I enjoyed with my family from time to time. In particular there was a most delicious salad that was served with a cilantro dressing. Read more
Oct 25
(photo from BHG.com)
Hot soups on the stove, leaves crunching under foot, trees ablaze with color – fall has arrived!
Oct 24
“Chili concocted outside of Texas is usually a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing. One of the first things I do when I get home to Texas is to have a bowl of red. There is simply nothing better.”
Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States Read more
Oct 23
In our home, as I think may be true in the homes of other Texans, pinto beans were a mainstay. I can hardly remember a day that there was not a big pot of beans simmering amongst other delights on the kitchen stove either in my grandparent’s kitchen or in my mother’s. Read more
Oct 22
Oh golly, it is always so great to receive Savvy Secrets from all of you! Our dear Chum, Nancie, sent these to us so, with joy, we are sharing them with you.
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Please, if you know of any Savvy Secrets that you think other people would be able to use, let us know. We will be glad to share them. After all, what are Chums for?
Joyously,
Oct 19
This being corn season, we thought we would give you an extra Savvy Secret this morning…..how to husk your corn!
Enjoy and may this add to the abundance in your lives!
Oct 19
One of our chums, Jan, sent us a great savvy secret for husking corn…we want to share it with you, our other chums 🙂
Oct 19
As the weather begins to cool down we all seem to look forward to certain signals that remind us it is Fall. Putting on our favorite sweaters, watching the leaves change color, seeing pumpkins appear on doorsteps and porches and the comfort of warming ourselves with soup.
Oct 18
The amazing age of communication in which we now live had its first stirrings in the 1870’s when Alexander Graham bell invented the telephone. Although the telephone is what the world remembers this gentleman for, his passion was actually something different. Read more
Oct 17
Again, a dear friend, Hilary, sent us these Bounce Savvy Secrets which we are thrilled to share with all of you. Read more
Oct 16
No one seems to know exactly why this moist delicious cake is called Hummingbird Cake. But, there are many theories as to how it got the name. Read more
Oct 15
You might well ask! It is not often that I run into people in Southern California who know where Nova Scotia is, much less what it is!
Oct 12
No matter what restaurant you go to in the South, you are bound to find Biscuits and Gravy on the menu. It is a favorite breakfast among Southerners. Who can resist a hot flaky biscuit fresh from the oven. Now add some creamy sausage gravy and it becomes even harder to turn down! Read more
Oct 11
Oct 10
Who doesn’t love Lucy? Apparently she is very loved by many of us. In a recent poll of well over 1 million people done cooperatively by People Magazine and the television news show 20/20, I Love Lucy was ranked as the #1 favorite TV show!
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Oct 9
It’s coming…or should I say “They’re coming”…Halloween is around the corner and all those neighborhood children adorned in their costume finery will come knocking on the door. Whether you still have little ones of your own at home or now its grandbabies that make your cheeks hurt from all the smiling, who can resist a precious little one in a costume so excited to be going door to door and collecting all that sugar…aka candy. I love it! And my husband Randy loves it even more! Each year he hands out the biggest candy bars he can buy in the hopes that in years to come, adults who used to be the children trick or treating in our neighborhood, will drive their children past our home, point out of the window of their cars at our house and exclaim with great fondness, “The people in that house always gave the best candy every year!” Read more
Oct 8
The United States and Canada have many, many things in common and one of those things is that both countries celebrate Thanksgiving – one, on one given day, and the other, on another given day – each year. Read more
Oct 5
Whether you call it a Buckle, a Brown Betty or a Cobbler, the end result is the same……yummy deliciousness!
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Oct 4
One of the easiest and tastiest ways to prepare any food is roasting it. But too often people are afraid of this method of cooking. It may well be because we have all attended dinners or banquets where we were served the proverbial “rubber chicken”…a dry tasteless, tough, piece of meat. If you are suffering from a fear of roast chicken, your Two Chums are here to help with that 🙂 Read more
Oct 3
OK, if you follow Two Chums everyday, by now you’ve realized this is “Chicken Week”. Today is the third installment in a week long line up of simple and tasty things you can make for dinner using chicken. Today it is Chicken Divan:)
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Oct 2
About 25+ years ago, my husband Randy and I, were at dinner with some great friends at an Asian restaurant in Beverly Hills. We hadn’t seen each other in several months, so as often happens, we were much more intent on catching up with each other than on reviewing the menu and selecting our dinner choices.
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Oct 1
Today I want to share with you one of my family’s favorite meals…..Chicken Stroganoff, a lighter version of the more well known beef stroganoff. It is simple to prepare, can be made several days ahead of the time you plan to serve it, (it just gets better as it sits), and is one of those meals that after tasting it, people always request to have the recipe. The way I happened to make it came about in one of those happy mishaps life sometimes gives us 🙂
Sep 28
About 25 years ago a little book entitled All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten hit book store shelves and landed on coffee tables all across the country. It was an almost instant success because it addresses the basic lessons we learn early on in life that can shape us.
Sep 27
Yes, more Savvy Secrets for you! This time they contain great uses of items that you have in your household. Again, these were shared with us and we joyfully pass them along! Read more
Sep 26
….at least your Two Chums think so! We love all the Royals and love to hear about what they are doing but….. Catherine and William stand out! Read more
Sep 25
Did you know that other than June, the most popular month to get married is October? Maybe you or someone you know is getting married this Fall or having an engagement party or celebrating an anniversary. If so, we have some fun ideas for treats to serve your guests.
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Sep 24
As you all know, we love to share Savvy Secrets and invite you, always, to share yours with us to pass along. Recently, we were given these Savvy Secrets using things from one’s pantry from our chum Hilary. Although we have not tried them, we feel sure they will be helpful to one and all! Read more
Sep 21
As we wrap up our week about decorating tips and ideas, today we want to talk about giving new life to favorite old items. Like people, favorite things that have gone beyond their usefulness in their original purpose, can be given new life and new purposes.
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Sep 20
Do you have any older furniture in your home that you really love but that frankly is looking a bit tired? And the cost of new upholstery isn’t in the budget right now? Slipcovers may just be the answer 🙂
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Sep 19
Continuing on with our “house to home” theme of this week, your Two Chums both enjoy having “collections” of things. These collections vary and could be almost anything, really. Read more
Sep 18
I don’t know about you, but I find that a bed without a headboard or lots of pretty pillow shams lined up across the back, looks unfinished. Besides that, if you want to sit up in bed and read, for example, it is not so comfortable against the hard wall. Read more
Sep 17
The first thing I do when I move house is make the new one my “home”. Yes, there is a difference, I am sure you all agree. Read more
