Saturday, September 1, 2012

Kids in the Kitchen: Watermelon Fun


In July, I received an email from the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPD) inviting me and my kids to participate in the first-ever kid-tastic Watermelon Blogger Challenge.

Categories include: best original kid-tastic watermelon carving; best re-creation of a NWPD kid-tastic watermelon carving; and best original kid-tastic watermelon recipe.

I asked my kids what they thought about the whole thing. They immediately (and enthusiastically) said yes. My son also immediately said that he wanted to make watermelon sorbet. Don't know where that came from, but it sounded good to me!

To get us started, the NWPD sent us a fun kit, including aprons, a watermelon knife, two cutting boards in watermelon colours, a party tub and, yes, a watermelon. (It was a large box.)


We decided to modify a recipe for strawberry sorbet that we had enjoyed in the past.



The kids patiently waited while daddy made the big cuts.


They may or may not have grabbed some slices to eat while waiting.


They made the smaller cuts themselves using bread knives.



And then put the watermelon chunks in the food processor.


And the fresh-squeezed lemon juice.


Careful negotiating was involved to keep both kids participating and happy.

I had made sugar water earlier. The kids thought it looked kind of gross.


In it went anyway.



On went the machine.


After everything was mixed together, we poured it into the ice cream maker.


And waited.


And waited. For about 15 minutes.


Here, the frozen mix.


Finally, the taste test.




The kids had so much fun working together in the kitchen, and enjoyed their cool, refreshing treat all the more, having made it themselves.

Watermelon Sorbet

by Joann MacDonald
Keywords: dessert vegan vegetarian nut-free soy-free gluten-free watermelon sorbet summer
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 cups fresh watermelon, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Combine sugar and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until all sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and place in the fridge until completely cool.
In a food processor, puree the watermelon, lemon juice and cooled sugar water.
Start ice cream maker and pour the watermelon mixture into the machine.
Churn until desired consistency (our machine took 15 minutes).
Store in the freezer. Enjoy!
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16 comments:

  1. Good for you guys! This looks great. Funny, just this morning I was saying that summer can't be nearly over yet, for I have not had a single slice of watermelon this year! And it's one of my all time favorites. Got to get out and find a melon tomorrow. I have one of those exact same cobalt blue parfait glasses.

    xo Loulou

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    1. We had fun. For sure, get yourself a watermelon. Summer will hang around for a little while...I hope. :) I don't use the parfait glasses nearly enough. They are kind of big for ice cream. I guess I could use them for parfaits. ;)

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  2. Looked look a fun project for the kids!!

    I think I'm done with buying watermelons for a while, the last few I've had - no flavor at all!! Disappointed!!!

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    1. They are difficult to pick out, aren't they? I knock on them but I don't really know what I'm doing.

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  3. that is sooo much fun! a labor of love for all the family to enjoy :) which reminds me, i have one big stripey watermelon in the kitchen and i think its time to cut it open hehe

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    1. Somehow, even though watermelons are so large, they are easy to forget in the kitchen, huh? Then they get mushy...and gross.

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  4. I did not realize it is so easy to make sorbet. I will have to invest in an ice-cream maker but it will be worth it. `

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    1. It is very easy, and pretty healthy too. We love strawberry sorbet served on peanut butter cake. Yum.

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  5. How fun!! Looks yummy, well done gang!

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    1. Thanks Tabetha. Nice to get the kids in the kitchen...without any fighting between them. ;)

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  6. That does look like fun- and who knew watermelon had such good PR! Have to love watermelon :)

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    1. So funny - everything has PR representation now, huh?

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  7. I'm tempted to go out there and buy me an electric ice cream maker! It looks good.

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    1. Go for it Sherry! You can make ice cream too...! :)

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  8. Wow! How cool is that! What fun for the kids! Have a lovely week! Angie xo

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