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 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 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!
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:)
Read more
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.
Read more
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
Sep 14
Now who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie? Everyone has their favorite recipe and if they don’t have a special one they defer to the one on the back of the bag of Nestle’s Toll House chocolate chips. It is a good recipe, but I think there is a better one.
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Sep 13
Napkins have been around longer than you may think. The ancient Romans are known to have used cloth napkins to protect from food spill and to wipe the mouth. The guests at a dinner brought their own napkins and carried away left-over food in them. With the fall of Roman Empire, napkins disappeared from the dining table.
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Sep 12
Nothing sets the tone for a lovely evening like some yummy hors d’oeuvres to start your party when you are hosting family and friends. And if they happen to be really easy to make and easy to eat….well …all the better 🙂
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Sep 11
Everyone likes to feel wanted. That is why Jackie and I feel so strongly about using place cards when we invite anyone to a gathering where we will be sitting down to a meal. They tell the person whose name is on the card “we’re glad you are here and we planned on you coming.” Besides that, place cards can be just plain fun to design and make!
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Sep 10
Ten minutes before my guests arrive, I like to go around and light all of the candles. Candles create a wonderful atmosphere in your home, both, because of the light they produce and, if they are scented, the perfume they give off. Read more
Sep 7
A picture is worth a thousand words….if you like Key Lime Pie you’ll love this recipe. It is quite simply the best!
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Sep 6
You might be thinking that your Two Chums, or at least this Chum, has a foot fetish. We have mentioned ways to help your feet look better several times in the last several weeks. Here is one more…so now you can be sure I have a foot fetish 🙂
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Sep 5
We started this week with Labor Day and a time to remember those who serve in the work force, which hopefully is, or has been, most of us. So this week on Two Chums, our posts are about things somehow related to “Labor”. Yesterday we offered some info on some products that can make work at home easier.
But today I want to share with you the joy and benefits of another kind of labor…that of caring for our children and grandchildren.
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Sep 4
What to do with all of those plastic bags that you receive when buying different items at the store? We have found this wonderful way to store them! Read more
Sep 3
Labor Day is a legal national holiday dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. It has evolved into a general “last fling of summer” festival.
It started as a parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. The parade was held on the first Monday in September and was designated by them as Labor Day as it has continued to be known.
All over this country today, people will be having cookouts and celebrate the holiday with hot dogs. Where you are living in this great country of ours will dictate just what kind of dogs you will enjoy 🙂
Aug 31
All this week we have brought you a “potpourri” of subjects. We want to finish out this week with a recipe that will allow you to make a potpourri of shortcakes.
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Aug 30
If you were asked if you speak French, you might feel that your answer would have to be “no” but, in fact, there are words and phrases that we use in the English language all the time which are definitely French.
Aug 29
Most people these days take showers but there is nothing better than the occasional good soak in the bath tub…..and, even better, a good soak with some wonderfully scented bath salts. Read more
Aug 28
Here is a potpourri of very interesting historical facts that you more than likely have never heard about. It will help you to understand some of the phrases and terms we commonly use but maybe have never thought about their meanings or origins until now….
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Aug 27
One of our chums, Lisa, shared this potpourri of very useful Savvy Secrets and now we are passing it on to you, the rest of our chums 🙂
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Aug 24
Summer is almost over, a new season is starting, and school is back in session! As you know, your Two Chums firmly believe in celebrating the good and so what better time to do just that? We are celebrating the wonderful time we have had all summer and all that the months ahead have in store. Read more
Aug 23
Oh, the joys of reading! Nothing better than sitting down with a good book quietly and imbibing its contents. Actually, there IS something better, in our minds, and that is sitting down with our grandchildren, our little ones, and reading books to THEM.
Aug 22
Maybe the hardest thing about back to school for all mothers is packing lunches….particularly if you happen to have a picky eater.
Aug 21
When I was told at a particular school that there was no PTA, I knew that this was not the school for our son, Trevor! Read more
Aug 20
Oh it is that time again! Backpacks and lunch boxes are reappearing as the first day of school approaches. And in nearly every store you enter you see mothers and children shopping for back to school necessities.
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Aug 17
OK I know you’re thinking this must have been a typo right? Because, after all, you must be wondering what kind of cup cake you can possibly make in 3 minutes!
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Aug 16
“Never lose your ability to be awed”….that was the caption on an ad Jackie and I saw recently. It sparked a conversation between us about staying childlike in our approach to each day.
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Aug 15
If you liked the list we gave you on Monday for some creative personal and household uses for vinegar, you’re going to love this list!
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Aug 14
Your Two Chums really do love to have fresh flowers around, either those cut from the garden or bought at the Flower Market or grocery store. Obviously, a plant lasts much longer than cut flowers and a favorite of ours is the orchid. Read more
Aug 13
It’s no secret, that whenever possible, your Two Chums like to use simple and natural products. So we were thrilled to come across so many great uses for that bottle of distilled white vinegar you have in your cupboard.
Aug 10
We all need to stop and rest from time to time. This comes easier and more naturally to some of us than to others. Until a few weeks ago I was one of those who resided in the “I’ll rest when I die” camp. Oh, I would claim that I could rest, or would rest, as soon as________(you fill in the blank), but those closest to me weren’t fooled by my announcements of having rested or of my plans to do so soon.
Aug 9
For two weeks the world has been watching as young men and women have put it all on the line to try to prove that they are the best at what they have been trained to do. We have had a front row seat to the “thrill of victory” and the “agony of defeat”.
Aug 8
There are two kinds of English….the original, the one spoken in England, and the one we speak here in America. Your Two Chums have fun comparing words used that are completely different but mean exactly the same thing.
Jackie grew up in England and Robin here in Southern California. We thought it would be a fun exercise to show you, through two letters saying exactly the same thing, how two completely different words can mean exactly the same thing. The first letter will be the British English version and the second, the American English version. Here’s your chance to see how good of an English translator you really are. Read more
Aug 7
Over the last two weeks we have been linking our posts here at Two Chums, to topics that are in some way related to the Olympics. So, you might be asking yourself what coconut has to do with the Olympics or The Sweet Smell Of Success….a good question, so allow me to explain.
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Aug 6
Who knew of the many uses of a cucumber? We were amazed when one of our Chums, Wendy, sent us this list of fantastic uses for cucumbers and felt that you should all know about them as well.
Aug 3
The word sandwich was born in London one night in 1762 when an English nobleman, John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), was too busy gambling to stop for a meal even though he was hungry for some food. Read more
Aug 2
Our thought, this week, is automatically going to London where the amazing Olympics are being staged…..and, when one thinks of London, if one likes to shop, the first two shops that come to mind are Harrods and Fortnum and Mason.
Aug 1
Jordyn Weiber demonstrated superb sportsmanship on Sunday when, in front of the whole world, she failed to qualify to compete in the All Around for gymnastics. It was especially difficult for Jordyn as she is the reigning World Champion. Read more
Jul 31
Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a Mom on the run, we all need to pay attention to our feet. Read more
Jul 30
Jul 27
Ready, set, go. London is ready and the world is waiting to see the Opening Ceremonies of the XXX Olympic Games tonight. Televisions are tuned, DVR’s are set to record, sofa cushions are fluffed and eyes agog! Everything is ready. All we need now is a Gold Medal snack.
Jul 26
1908, 1948 and now 2012! These are the years that London has played genteel host to the Olympics and yes, by Jove, London is ready! There has been much question about whether she would be ready but, of course, in total British fashion, she IS ready to greet her guests and we have no doubt that it will be a wonderful few weeks.
