Watermelon Lemonade
Our volunteer watermelon plants produced exactly two watermelons. Not a great yield but how can you complain when you didn't plant or tend them? They were good; very good. I made sure to throw some of the seeds in the compost again, hoping for volunteers next year. (I've never had any luck actually planting watermelon.)
We were at Aldi the other day, and the kids saw the watermelon. They started begging me to buy one. I hesitated knowing they would not be as good as the melons from our garden, but they were only $2.99. They were huge melons. I knew we'd never be able to eat a whole one, but thought we could share with Mamaw and Papaw.
I got it home and started cutting it up the next day. It was ok, not as good as the garden melons, slightly over ripe, but good. Kellen and I are talking, and he informs me that Mamaw and Papaw bought their own huge $2.99 watermelon. So much for my plan. Oh what am I going to do with all this watermelon?
I looked for recipes online, and found Watermelon.org. The site has lots of different watermelon recipes. I decided to try the Watermelon Lemonade.
I used frozen blackberries instead of the raspberries.Watermelon Lemonade
- Ingredients:
- 6 cups watermelon cubes (seeds removed)
1/4 cup raspberries
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
- Instructions:
- Place watermelon, raspberries and water in container of electric blender, cover and blend until smooth. Strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
- Servings:
- Makes 4 servings.
The family's reviews:
Vivian(18 months) and Nolan (3) - LOVE IT! The can't seem to get enough.
Lydia (5) and Kellen (9) - Mixed. They were fighting over the sample I gave them before it was chilled, but later decided they didn't like it. Kellen isn't a big juice drinker though, especially for sweet juices.
Tim- Try something new? It takes him awhile to warm up to new foods.
Me- It was good, but maybe a bit too sweet. I think I would like it better with more lemon and less sugar.
With making a double batch of this, and offering watermelon at every meal and snack, we've eaten about 1/2 of the giant melon. I would love to try Food Blogga's Grilled Watermelon, but don't think my over ripe melon will hold up to that. Maybe smoothies next? Any other suggestions? I may be living on watermelon the next couple of days!
11 comments:
Matthew will eat it for you. ;)
Yummy! That looks good! I just portioned out a watermelon this morning!
Let me tell ya how I do it!
First I slice it long ways.
Then I take my medium scoop
http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=238&categoryCode=KW
and make largeish melon balls.
It only takes a few minutes and it makes a handy snack in the fridge.
It's practically MESS FREE which is one of my pet peeves with eviscerating a watermelon.
That scoop may be a little pricey but I'd spend the money again. I love that thing SO MUCH! I use it for watermelon and cookie dough (all the time) and the kids (even tho I protest) use it on rock hard ice cream and it's as good as new! It's a quality tool, that's for sure!
Watermelon popsicles!
Search on "watermelon agua fresca" and you'll find another kind of tasty drink to make.
Watermelon Cucumber Salad!
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
salt
8 cup seeded, cubed watermelon*
4 cucumbers, peeled, halved and seeded**
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Put the vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. (Stir to dissolve all the sugar. You can make this ahead of time if you want.) Slice cucumbers and toss with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Put them in a colander, set it over a bowl and let stand for 30 minutes. Pat the cucumbers dry with a paper towel. Just before serving, toss watermelon with some salt in a large bowl. Add cucumbers and pepper syrup and toss.
*Just get the big seeds out.
**After peeling them with a vegetable peeler, I cut them in half lengthwise and use a melon baller to remove the "guts" with the seeds.
that sounds delicious!!
We've made this twice since I printed out your recipe. I had just bought a watermelon and needed something to do with it. Thanks! We used blueberries instead of raspberries and it was de-lish. We also tried adding lots more very sweet (our daughter makes it that way) lemonade to it and yumm-o. Pretty, too!
Kim
I love the idea of a watermelon drink! Mine should be ripe soon.
this sounds delicious, Stephanie. I'll have it on my list of things to make over summer. Thank you. : )
Ohhh that sounds good!
What a great way to put a new twist on one of my favorites...lemonade!
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