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TIP OF THE DAY: 14 Savory Ways To Enjoy Watermelon

August 4, 2012 at 8:03 am · Filed under Food Holidays, Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Recipes, Tip Of The Day


Watermelon, cucumber and shrimp are a
great flavor pairing. Watermelon can be a
base for other savory foods as well. Photo
courtesy Watermelon.org.		  

Yesterday we offered dessert recipe ideas for watermelon, including watermelon “cupcakes” and watermelon “pizza.”

Today, we present savory watermelon recipes, so celebrate: August 3rd is National Watermelon Day (July is National Watermelon Month).
 
 
SOPHISTICATED WATERMELON RECIPES

  • Canapés. Instead of bread, use rectangles of watermelon. Top with ham, shrimp, cheese, olives, capers and other favorite ingredients.
  • Chutney. Watermelon Chutney is delicious with pork dishes and grilled poultry.
  • Finger Food. There are lots of choices here, including Smoked Salmon & Watermelon Circles.
  • Prosciutto. For an appetizer, serve sliced watermelon with prosciutto, or wrap it to create Prosciutto-Wrapped Watermelon, Brie & Figs
  • Rounds. Use a large cookie cutter or a saucer to cut circles of watermelon, and build a dish on top of them. The photo shows a Shrimp Cocktail built this way.
  • Salad. Try a Sweet & Sour Watermelon & Cucumber Salad.
  • Salsa. Watermelon is delicious in fresh salsa. Check out this variety of recipes, or try this Jalapeño & Shrimp Pico de Gallo.
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  • Sandwiches. Add a slice of watermelon to a grilled chicken, pork loin or smoked salmon sandwich. It works with the protein as well as with the mustard. Really!
  • Seafood Cocktail. Add balls of watermelon to a conventional seafood cocktail. Or make Watermelon Crab/Shrimp Cups, mounding crab or shrimp salad into the center of the cup.
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    FUN WATERMELON RECIPES

  • Caprese Salad. Give a twist to this popular stack of tomato, mozzarella and basil, by substituting watermelon for the tomato: Watermelon Caprese Salad.
  • Creative Cube. If you have the patience, we love this Rubik’s Cube-style Wacky Cube appetizer. You can assign the task to older children.
  • Kabobs: Grill cubes of watermelon with shrimp, scallops or other fish/seafood. Or skewer poached shrimp and watermelon to make Shrimp Satay Skewers.
  • Other Salads. Watermelon is delicious with blue cheese, feta, goat cheese and mozzarella, as we demonstrated in this recent salad recipe. You can add watermelon to just about any salad. We love it in carrot salad with raisins.
  • Party Snack (photo at right): A Watermelon And Cheese Checkerboard is relatively easy to make and sure to delight. Your friends will want to copy this one for game time snacking.
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    Make a watermelon checkerboard with your favorite cheese. We made the checkers from artisan sausage; you can grab the nearest pepperoni. Photo courtesy Watermelon.org.
     
    Find more watermelon recipes at Watermelon.org.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Ways To Enjoy Watermelon

    August 3, 2012 at 8:55 am · Filed under Food Holidays, Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Recipes


    The healthy cupcake alternative: watermelon “cupcakes” with yogurt frosting (photo courtesy National Watermelon Promotion Board).    		   Today is National Watermelon Day. If you’ve only enjoyed watermelon by the slice or in fruit salad—or a Watermelon Martini—here are new ways to enjoy the summer favorite:

  • Chocolate Watermelon. Drizzle a slice of watermelon with chocolate sauce.
  • Coconut “Cake.” Cut 8-9-inch circles from the middle of a large watermelon. Use them as cake layers and fill with coconut whipped cream.
  • Cupcakes. Make watermelon “cupcakes” by adding scoops of fresh watermelon to paper cupcake holders. Ice with vanilla or fruit yogurt, and garnish with sprinkles or chopped nuts (photo at left).
  • Dessert Nachos. Top triangles of watermelon with vanilla yogurt and pistachio nuts or chocolate chips.
  • Dessert Pizza. Top a circle of watermelon, cut into triangular slices, with coconut, raisins, sultanas and white chocolate chips (photo below). To make this your fruit-and-cheese course, replace the coconut with crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese.
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  • Dippers. For a healthy snack, serve watermelon spears with a dip of fruit yogurt.
  • Ice Cream Topping. Purée watermelon and use it as a sauce on frozen yogurt, ice cream or sorbet. It’s a more summery version of raspberry purée. Use any leftover purée to make a Watermelon Martini.
  • Sorbet. Make conventional sorbet or granita.
  • Sundae. Watermelon pairs nicely with pistachio or vanilla ice cream. Top a scoop of fresh watermelon with a scoop of ice cream.

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    These and many other delicious recipes are available at Watermelon.org.
     
    Tomorrow: savory watermelon recipes.

    		  
    For dessert: watermelon “pizza” (photo courtesy National Watermelon Promotion Board).
     

    TAKE A FEW MORE BITES
     
    The History Of Watermelon
     

    Watermelon Nutrition
     
    Watermelon Tips: Buying & Storing
     
    Watermelon Martini & Other Watermelon Cocktails
     
    More Watermelon Recipes

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Make Herbal Water

    August 2, 2012 at 8:12 am · Filed under Beverages


    Cucumber and dill give a subtle, delightful
    flavor to a carafe of water. Photo © Maxim
    Shebeko | Dreamstime.

    		   Ayala’s Herbal Water is one of our favorite Top Picks of all time. The calorie-free bottled water is flavored with combinations of herbs and spices. Here’s our review.

    It’s not easy to find Ayala’s where we live, but we do the next best thing: We add herbs and spices to pitchers of water. We don’t get the same flavor extraction that Ayala’s does, but we do get a subtle note of flavor that turns plain water into something special.

    Turn that pitcher of ordinary water into something special with herbs and spices. You may already add lemon or lime slices, berries or cucumber your water pitcher. But try some new flavorings with sweet herbs or spices—in addition to the fruits or by themselves.

    Herbs For Flavoring

  • Basil
  • Dill
  • Lavender
  • Lemon Verbena
  • Mint
  • Rose Geranium
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
    		•

    Before adding herbs to the water, crush them slightly in your hand to release the aromatic oils. Let the flavor infuse for 15 minutes or more. The longer you infuse, the more flavor is extracted.

    Spices For Flavoring

    You can also start with spices, such as:

  • Cardamom
  • Cinnamon (stick)
  • Clove (whole)
  • Ginger Root
  • Vanilla Bean

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    Then, try combinations such as ginger-cardamom and mint-clove—and whatever sounds good to you. One of our favorite combinations is cucumber-dill.

    FOOD TRIVIA: LAVENDER

    Lavender derives from the Latin word lavare, to wash. The Romans used it to scent their bathwater.

    The Roman Legion brought the plant to Britain, where it later became popular in homeopathy: to ease stiff joints, battle infections, provide a calming influence and other remedies. Lavender was used for repelling insects, masking odors (potpourri) and was carried in nosegays to try to ward off the plague and pestilence.

    Today, we know that a far better purpose is in baking, condiments, ice cream, iced tea and other recipes—like flavored water.

      

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