Sunday, June 7, 2015

Easy Watermelon Basket and Watermelon Coolers


Summer is here and if you're looking for a great summer party, potluck, or bbq appetizer, look no further! This easy watermelon basket is a great item to take any party and will definitely wow your guests. 


The watermelon coolers are a sweet refreshing drink with no additional sweetness and the perfect way to hydrate yourself this summer. The best part is that they are made from the leftover fruit pieces and juice from the watermelon so we don't waste any fruit.  

So give it a try and good luck in the kitchen.


Watermelon Basket

1 watermelon
green marker (or any color)
large sharp knife
small sharp knife (paring or carving knife)
melon baller

Optional-
cantaloupe, honeydew melon, grapes (great filler fruit)
umbrella or pinwheel toppers


Mark where you want to cut the watermelon with a green marker. You want to cut two wedge shape pieces out of the top half of the melon as shown in the pictures.  Use the large knife to cut the watermelon along your marks and pull the pieces out.


Using a melon baller, scoop out all of the fruit you can from the watermelon and any other melon you want to use in the basket. I used cantaloupe too. As you work through the watermelon, save all the scraps and juice in a separate bowl for our coolers later.


The emptied watermelon will look like this. Make sure to empty it of any fruit or juice.


Use the small knife to make small triangles along the top edges of the basket. You can sketch it before you start cutting, but I didn't think it was necessary. You can also make the handle wavy, but I thought it looked great as is.

Lastly, fill the basket with your desired fruit and decorations. Enjoy!


To make the coolers...
Blend the leftover watermelon fruit and juice in a blender until well combined. Optionally, you can also add 1 tablespoon roohafza (if you're desi, you will know what this is, or you can look it up) for flavor. This should make enough for 2 huge servings or 3-4 smaller ones. I skewered some melon balls and used pinwheel drink toppers to make the drinks look super festive. 
© Best of Wardah. Made with love by The Dutch Lady Designs.