Claude Clemmons Online » Food and Drink

Watermelons

Claude — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:36:47 +0000

Summer means watermelons and cantaloupes to people who like summer fruits. I love watermelon and tend to buy one at least every other shopping trip throughout the summer. most of the watermelons seem to be grown in the western states like Arizona and New Mexico, but I understand that Florida is growing a lot of them now, too.

In fact, I watched a TV commercial for Florida watermelons today. That was a first! It was odd to see a commercial for one particular fruit and odd to see that it was talking about Florida. So besides Florida oranges and grapefruit, I guess watermelons are a big cash crop for the Sunshine State now.

Sunrise Service and Dinner

Claude — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 21:09:37 +0000

My Easter plans include Sunrise Service and then a nice dinner at my daughter’s home. I like going to her house on holidays because she is a great hostess and a wonderful cook. She takes after her momma on those qualities, for sure.

Whatever she cooks will be tasty and I know she will be serving ham because I went and bought a Honeybaked Ham for her and dropped it off at her house Friday night. I hope she makes some scalloped potatoes to go along with that – no one makes scalloped potatoes like her momma except her. Good stuff.

Too Many Bananas

Claude — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:42:25 +0000

In a moment of shopping hysteria, I bought a bunch of bananas on Saturday. I’ve eaten two of them at breakfast, but there are still a lot of bananas on the kitchen table and they’ve got to go! I have no idea what to do with all these ripe bananas. What can I cook with them besides bake banana bread?

A Good Beef Brisket

Claude — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:12:36 +0000

Today I found a nice sized beef brisket on sale at the Kroger grocery store. This was a stroke of good luck. Kroger almost never has any decent meat on mark down.

I bought that brisket for half price and would have bought 4 or 5 more if they had them marked down like this one. I could pop those briskets in the freezer and cook one every week this next month. Brisket is so easy – just throw a few spices in the pan and leave it to cook for 7 or 8 hours on the lowest setting your oven has got. Or, if you need to speed it up a little bit, you can do 325 degrees for 5 or 6 hours. I’ve heard that some people like to cook their brisket in their crock pot. That sounds good to me, too.

Sparkling Grape Juice

Claude — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:44:47 +0000

We are throwing a little party this weekend to celebrate the New Year. I like to have a bottle of champagne for the New Year’s toast, but I am also sensitive to the needs of some people to not drink alcohol – not even a sip of champagne on New Year’s Eve. I don’t want them to feel excluded or embarrassed, so I am buying a couple of bottles of sparkling grape juice. I plan to set out a tray of both drinks and let people take whichever glass they prefer. After all, it’s not about the drink – it is about the toast and the well wishes.

Turkey or Ham?

Claude — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:38:10 +0000

Heading to the grocery store tomorrow and I have this wild notion to skip buying a turkey this time for Christmas dinner. I like turkey and all the fixings, but Thanksgiving was just over 3 weeks ago and I seriously don’t want to eat turkey again so soon. I’m thinking a ham for Christmas dinner would be a nice change. Or maybe a goose. That would be so continental – a proper goose for Christmas dinner. I don’t even know if you can buy a goose at the grocery stores around here. and we don’t have proper butcher shops in this area. I think I will go to the biggest grocery store in the area – if anyone would have a goose I would think it is the big Kroger up at Providence Center.

Doubleshot with Soy

Claude — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:31:34 +0000

I stood in line at Starbucks today and I was amazed at all the special tweaks people like to put in their coffee. I don’t even see how those poor clerks behind the counter can remember all the things the customer requires. And a double shot with soy doesn’t even sound good to me. Where did that guy get the idea that soy belongs in coffee in the first place?

Pickin at Leftovers

Claude — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:08:50 +0000

Our Thanksgiving meal was very tasty and I’m glad we had some leftovers. That means I don’t have to worry about cooking for a couple of days. I can just pick at leftovers and have plenty of food without the bother of a full meal.

I had a 22 pound turkey plus a small ham for our dinner on Thursday. Some of that is left, but even better is all the side dishes and desserts that are left. I enjoyed a slice of cherry pie for breakfast. Yes, being a grownup is a good thing!

Groceries for Turkey Day

Claude — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:03:57 +0000

Today is going to be a busy one and I have to get my groceries for Thanksgiving. This year we are gathering a few family members and several friends together for a big meal. Most of the friends are here as either new to the area, newly divorced, or people with no family to include them. I think Thanksgiving is about sharing what you have and being with people you care about. So that’s our plan and today I have to get the turkey. Wish me luck, and hope you have a nice Thanksgiving.

Two-fers

Claude — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:01:48 +0000

Some of the best deals are two-fers of BOGOs. But when you are a single guy, it makes it hard to take advantage of them. Most of the time I really only need or want one. So getting two isn’t a savings when I have no use for it. Of course I could find a way to donate some thing, but some stuff, like two sub sandwiches for the price of one, just doesn’t work out.