Quick and Easy Watermelon Lemonade

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I just love summertime.  There is nothing like a great summer song, feeling that tingle on your skin from the hot sun, and a cold drink.

I always used to associate summer with Sunkist soda pop.  Do you remember that commercial that played "Good Vibrations"?  To me that' was the epitome of summer when I was growing up.  These days I'm more of a lemonade kinda girl.  I just love the tartness of the lemons, and the thirst quenching flavor on a hot summer day.  

Since the 4th of July is right around the corner I usually serve a pitcher of lemonade to have during our days activities and with whatever items we grill for our All-American dinner.  So let's change up the standard lemonade and give it a little pizzazz by adding some additional fruit infused flavor.

QUICK AND EASY WATERMELON LEMONADE

To make this easier I use a pre-made pink lemonade.  Trader Joe's a wonderful one, but any brand will do.  Just make sure it's one you like.  Next we need to make the fruit puree.  This is where the watermelon comes in.  All you need is a blender to puree the watermelon and a fine mesh strainer to remove any solids so you are left with a nice pure watermelon juice.  Now that you have that, the rest is simple.  The concoction is about a 2/3 lemonade to 1/3 watermelon juice ratio.  Served over ice you will have a frosty piece of heaven in a drink.  One that screams summer!!!

Perfect for the 4th of July or any summer day, this watermelon lemonade will keep you cool on even the hottest of summer days.

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Watermelon Lemonade


serves 8

8 cups of jarred Pink Lemonade (any brand)
3 cups cubed watermelon
1 tbls sugar (optional for sweetness)

Pour ready made lemonade into a bottle or pitcher. In a blender puree the watermelon. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding the solids.  Pour watermelon puree into the pitcher with the lemonade. Stir to combine.  Fill glasses with ice and lemonade.  Enjoy.   

Beth's Simple Fruit Salad

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When Spring and Summer hit we are in Heaven around here because it is "Fruit Season"!

Both MGG and I are big fruit lovers and can't wait until the abundance of fruit produces each year.  We spend countless weekends scouring Farmer's Market for varieties of fruit that are new to us, while also loading up on the basic, berries, oranges, pears, peaches, cherries, grapes, and nectarines.

Today is all about the basics. They are your standard fruits.  They can be used in smoothies like this Tropical Sunset Smoothie and my Vanilla Kiwi Smoothie or baked into muffins like Lemon Blueberry Muffins and Strawberry Sour Cream Muffins.  Salads get punched up with fruits such as this California Salad.  Since we eat fruit so much it was no surprise that I have a Simple Fruit Salad that we serve with meals as well.

BETH'S SIMPLE FRUIT SALAD

Simple is in the title because this is a cut and throw in a bowl type of salad.  Nothing fancy, just a lot of good fruits cut into bite sized pieces and placed in a pretty bowl.  No special sauce, no drizzle, or glaze....just good delicious fruit!

Perfect for picnics, potlucks, holidays, and everyday meals or snacks.  Have fun with fruit this year, it good for you!

Enjoy!





Beth's Simple Fruit Salad


2 cups cantaloupe, cubed
2 cups honeydew melon, cubed
2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
2 cups watermelon, cubed
1/3 cup blueberries
1/4 cup blackberries
2 kiwi, sliced
1 cup strawberries, sliced

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix.  Serve chilled.

Fruit Salad with a Red Currant Raspberry Sauce

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Summer fruit is everywhere and what a better way to use it than in a cooling fruit salad.

This salad isn't any old fruit salad though.  No, it is one that is tossed in a wonder sauce.  Yes, a sauce that just lends another layer of fruit flavor to the mix. 

Recently I had the leisure of attending  a Cool "No Cook" Sauces cooking class taught by Phillis Carey (one of my favorite chefs) down in San Diego.  She made some fabulous sauces using oils and vinegars from Vom Fass.  I love them all but new that I would make the Red Currant Raspberry Sauce first.  She placed it on a fruit salad and I loved it so much that I kept my dish simple as well.  

We had this for Memorial Day, but guess what?  The 4th of July holiday is coming up next week and this would be the most PERFECT dish to serve at any BBQ festivities you may be having.  Perfect for a picnic, grill, potluck, outdoor concert, beachside, lakeside...you name it.  Everyone loved this fruit salad so since it was such a hit, I wanted to share it with you today.

Kitchen Notes:  This uses a Red Currant Jelly.  Bonne Maman' make a good Red Currant jelly.  You also may find it from Knott's jelly.  If you can't find the red currant use a good grape jelly.  It tastes delicious as well.  This also uses raspberry vinegar which I've seen at most major grocery stores as well as Walmart.  You can also get one here. It's also perfect in salad dressings.  The 3rd item is that she uses grapeseed oil.  This is a great base to the dish as it a healthy choice and has a clean, light mild taste which is perfect for a dish where you want the fruit flavors to shine.  This can be bought at most grocery stores, Walmart, and Trader Joe's.

This serve a crowd but you can adjust this to suit how many you are serving.  I used little ice cream cups to serve our in.  They look adorable!

Enjoy!




Fruit Salad with a Red Currant Raspberry Sauce

5 cups of mixed fruit ( I used watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew melons)

Sauce:
1/4 cup red currant jelly, melted and slightly cooled
2 T raspberry vinegar
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup grapeseed oil

Place the mixed fruit into a large mixing bowl.  To make the sauce, whisk together the melted jelly, vinegar, sugar, mustard, paprika and salt until well mixed.  Slowly whisk in the oil.  At this point the sauce may be chilled until serving time.  When ready to serve, pour over fruit and toss to combine.  Serve immediately or may be refrigerated up to 4 hours before serving. 

Source:  sauce if from Phillis Carey Cool 'No Cook' Sauces cooking class

Watermelon Milkshakes

This is not my typical drink.

I know, I know...I usually make smoothies.  I've made lots and lots of them, sharing them all with you.  But sometimes you just gotta be bad.  Not the suffering guilty bad, just a little cheat drink.  You know what I mean?  So today instead of putting my wonderful summer fruit in a smoothie, I went a little decadent and put it in a milkshake!

Watermelon...juicy, fruity and light tasting.  Such a summer flavor that I love.  So what better way to relax on the patio or by the pool in this still hot weather, than with a decadent milkshake!  Let me tell you, when I made these they didn't last long.  MGG had ours by the pool and I think he must loved his.  He was making yummy noises while he was drinking it.  And when I looked away and then looked back it was gone!  

So since this is MGG approved I'm sure your family and kids will love this as well.  

Take some time out to be a little bad...it feels soooo good!

Watermelon Milkshakes

serves 2

2 c vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt

8 oz cubed watermelon
1 cup milk

Add ice cream , watermelon chunks, and milk to a blender. Blend on high for 1 – 2 minutes.   Serve immediately.


Shared with:  Weekend Potluck