Recipes

• 2 bananas, thinly sliced
• Powdered sugar
• Lime, lemon or orange juice
• 2 oranges, cut into thin slices (seeds and peel removed)
• 1 lb. fresh dark cherries or 17 oz. can dark sweet cherries, pitted
• 1 lb. seedless grapes
• 1 cantaloupe, chunked or watermelon chunks
• 1 to 2 apples, sliced
• 2 c. strawberries, halved
• 1 c. flaked coconut
• 3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Using a large clear glass bowl, layer banana slices in bottom. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and a squeeze of lime, lemon or orange juice. Continue to layer all fruit in bowl, between each layer sprinkle powdered sugar and lime, lemon or orange juice. Top salad with coconut and walnuts, garnish with some of the most colorful fruit.

• 4 cups frozen watermelon chunks
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• Apple juice or white grape juice

The night before, cut a seedless watermelon into 2 inch chunks, freeze in Ziploc bags. The strawberries can be fresh frozen or even the sliced kind with sugar that you buy from the grocery store.

Place frozen watermelon and strawberries in a blender or smoothie maker. Add the juice; enough to cover the fruit. Blend.

• 7 lbs. watermelon rind
• 7 c. sugar
• 2 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. oil of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. oil of cloves

Trim off the green of the watermelon rind and soak in strong salt water overnight. Drain and boil in fresh water until almost transparent, not soft.

Make a syrup with sugar and vinegar and add rind and cook 10 minutes. Take from fire, cover and let stand overnight. Drain off the syrup and bring to a boil and pour over rind. Continue this process for 5 nights.

The 5th morning add to the syrup 1/2 teaspoon oil of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon oil of cloves. (These oils keep the rind clear and transparent.) Bring to a boil and cook rind 10 minutes. Pack in hot sterile jars.

Do not use aluminum pans or utensils.

• 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. grated lime rind
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. fresh minced mint leaves or 1 tsp. dehydrated mint leaves
• 1/2 honeydew melon, scooped into balls
• 1/2 pt. fresh raspberries

Whisk together lime juice, rind, sugar and mint until sugar dissolves. Toss with honeydew, thoroughly coating it. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours. Carefully stir with rubber spatula. Let stand at room temperature about 25 minutes to take chill off before serving. Just before serving, gently toss with raspberries. Serve on lettuce. Serves 4 to 6.

• 1 lg. watermelon
• 2 cantaloupes
• 2 honeydew melons
• 1 1/2 lbs. white grapes
• 1 1/2 lbs. dark grapes
• 2 pts. fresh strawberries, stemmed
• 1/2 c. orange or pineapple juice

With a large knife, remove the top 1/3 of the watermelon. (The bottom portion is used as the basket for serving.) Remove the seeds from all of the melons. Using a melon ball cutter, scoop the fruit from the melons and place them in a bowl. Gently mix all of the fruits and the juice. Transfer fruit to the melon basket. NOTE: For special effect, cut the top edge of watermelon basket in a zigzag pattern.

• 1 1/3 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 1 c. sugar, divided
• 2/3 stick butter, melted
• 1/4 lg. watermelon
• 2 env. gelatin
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 egg whites
• 1 c. heavy cream, whipped
• Watermelon balls
• Mint

Combine crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar, and butter. Press over bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Chill. Extract 2 1/2 cups juice form watermelon by cutting watermelon into cubes and rubbing through a strainer to remove seeds and membrane. Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup melon juice in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes or until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup sugar, salt, remaining watermelon juice, and lemon juice.

Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until very stiff. Fold with cream into watermelon mixture and turn into shell. Chill several hours or until set. Garnish with watermelon balls and mint sprigs. May be prepared no more than 1 day ahead. After a heavy meal, this is a lightly, fluffy, sweet ending! Serves 6-8.

• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. chopped pickled watermelon

Mix all ingredients together except the pickled watermelon. Stir in watermelon. Spread batter in greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until done. When slightly cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

• Dry milk - enough to make 1/2 gallon
• 1/4 average size watermelon
• 10 egg whites or 2 cartons egg substitute
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Water - if needed
• 2 c. sugar

Remove seeds from watermelon and dice. The put into blender or food processor until pureed. Add watermelon juice to dry milk and sugar. Add vanilla, salt and egg whites. Then add enough water to fill to 4 quarts. Freeze in 4 quart freezer.

• 4 c. seeded, diced watermelon
• 3 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 of a 6 oz. pkg. liquid fruit pectin (1 foil pouch)

Place diced watermelon in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until smooth (should have 2 cups watermelon puree). In a 6- to 8-quart kettle or Dutch oven combine the watermelon puree, sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that cannot be stirred down) over high heat, stirring constantly with a long-handled wooden spoon. Stir in the pectin all at once. Return mixture to a full rolling boil; boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove kettle or Dutch oven from heat; skim of foam. Ladle jelly into clean hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids. Allow to cool completely away from drafts, then store in cool, dark place. Makes 4 half-pints.

• 1 c. seedless watermelon chunks
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1 c. water
• Popsicle sticks
• 5 oz. paper cups

Combine watermelon, orange juice, and water in a blender. Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture into each paper cup; insert stick and freeze. Makes 6 snacks. 27 calories each.

• 4 c. cubed watermelon
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 env. unflavored gelatin
• 1/3 c. cranberry juice cocktail
• Watermelon wedges

Blend watermelon cubes until smooth. Stir in sugar. Sprinkle gelatin over cranberry juice cocktail in a small saucepan. Let stand for 1 minute. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Add gelatin mixture to the melon mixture. Stir well. Pour mixture into an 8x8x2 inch baking pan. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Freeze about 2 hours or until firm.

Break up frozen mixture with a fork. Place in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat with hand mixer until mixture is fluffy. Return to the baking pan. Cover. Freeze at least 6 hours.

Source for all recipes: www.cooks.com