A few weeks back, Smitten Kitchen had a post for Watermelon Lemonade ...it just sounded so good, you know? I read that post at 11:00 at night, in my pj's. And I wanted some right then and there. So I quickly changed, yelled to the mister that I'd be right back and got in the car and headed to the store to buy the necessary ingredients...watermelon and lemon. By midnight everything was ready to go - the mister, not being a late-night man, was not amused by my antics and came into the kitchen to express his displeasure...I handed him the first glass - he drank it and fairly spit it out! It was not NEARLY sweet enough for him...a man with a sour disposition needs a lot of sugar...so I doctored it up a bit for him and then he was happy - even if only momentarily. In the last two weeks or so I've made the watermelon lemonade several times...and each times I've played around with the amount of sweetening - using the simple sugar syrup Smitten recommended and Sweet n' Low and even mixing the watermelon puree with lemonade from a mix...all were good but as good as they were I wanted something M O R E....
Why was I trying to "reinvent the wheel?" I don't know! But I was and my first step was to pretend I knew nothing about Smitten's lemonade...so I could make my own...starting with Diet 7-Up (diabetic, remember?) and then I added watermelon puree...no need to fuss with simple syrup or Sweet n' Low or sugar...it came out perfect every time! Okay, so it's not REALLY lemonade...but it's dang good! It's a beautiful pink color and you can add more puree for more watermelon taste if you want - it is summer in a glass, no doubt about it!
Watermelon Up Cooler - Adapted Liberally From Smitten Kitchen
2 bottles (16.9 oz.) Diet 7-Up
1 small seedless "personal size" watermelon, or 3 cups chopped watermelon, seeds and rind removed (If you use the entire small watermelon you will have extra watermelon puree...a good thing to have!)
ice
Put 3 cups chopped watermelon in the blender and puree. This will give you about 2 1/4 cups of watermelon puree. Pour the Diet 7-Up into a pitcher, pour watermelon puree in and mix well. Serve with ice - makes 4 to 5 servings. If you have a porch, go to it now, sit back, relax and taste summer!
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"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith." ~ Steve Jobs
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One year ago today: Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches
