Sparkling Watermelon Bubbles — with Carving Pictorial

The very first time I carved a watermelon and made this Sparkling Watermelon Bubbles was back in my college years. Oh well, that was many, many years ago…ahem…Those were the good old days. It was always fun to make and serve this Sparkling Watermelon Bubbles at parties. With this watermelon basket as a centerpiece, you can expect to get all the “ohhs and ahhs” from your guests. The recipe was slightly different back then. The “sparkling” ingredient was wine coolers instead of the sparkling white grape juice that I used in this recipe. Why did I switch the wine cooler out and use sparkling grape juice this time? Because my kids adore watermelons! With this kid-friendly version, everybody can enjoy this wonderful treat.



So, when Kitchen PLAY invited me to participate in this month’s Progressive Party to create a watermelon dessert recipe, I was really excited and couldn’t wait to get started. My kids were on their winter breaks and they were just as excited when they saw the fridge filled with watermelons. My kids ask for watermelons all the time, even in the winter. Good thing is that watermelons are available all year-round, typically as a mini-watermelon, or pre-cut melon as found in the produce aisle. I love using the mini ones as they are usually sweeter. Plus, they are perfect for carving into these lovely baskets (I’ll show you the step-by-step pictorial in just a second).  




I love serving these Sparkling Watermelon Bubbles to my kids. Not only are they refreshing and delicious, but they are packed with nutrients that your body needs. Did you know watermelon is 92% water? Oh yeah, with the dry weather during the winter, you can feel good about filling up, as it hydrates while satiating your appetite. Watermelon is a multivitamin unto itself; it is packed with lots of Vitamins A, B6 and C. For more information about health and nutrition on watermelons, feel free to visit Watermelon.Org.




Are you ready to learn how to carve this watermelon basket? It’s way easier than it looks. Before you get started, I have two important tips for you. Tip number one: have a sturdy and stable cutting board. Place a damp paper towel underneath the cutting board to prevent your board from sliding around when you carve. Tip number two: use a very sharp knife for carving. It’s much safer when your knife is sharp so it cuts through the skin of the watermelon with ease.
So, here’s what I did.

1) Slice 1/4-inch off the bottom of the watermelon to provide a stable base.

2) Cut vertically from the top, 1-inch to the right from the center of the melon until you reach half way of the melon.

3) Cut horizontally in the middle of the melon until you reach the corners of the vertical cut.

4) This slice of watermelon should come off easily, set it aside. (You can slice this piece into 1/2-inch thick slices and out flesh into star shapes ones with a cookie cutter, see pictorial #8 below)



5) Do the same on the other side of the watermelon to create the “handle” of the basket.

6) Scoop out the flesh with a melon-baller, be careful not to scrape too deep on the bottom as part of the skin was cut off as the base.

7) Make zig-zag cuts with a paring knife, all the way through the rind and on the handle.

8) Use a cookie cutter to cut out other fun shapes.



It’s fun and easy, right? I hope you enjoy today’s pictorial.



Lemon zest and lemon juice really brighten up the flavor of this dessert. The basil adds a nice zing and depth of flavor to the melons. When I bit into one of these melon bubbles, it burst in my mouth because of the sparkling grape juice it absorbed. It’s so much fun to eat.



I hope you’re inspired to get your own watermelon and carve something fun. Give this recipe a try; I’m sure you’ll love it as much as my family does.





Join Kitchen PLAY, the National Watermelon Promotion Board and some of your favorite food bloggers for a Twitter Party on January 22 at 7 PM ET where we’ll be chatting about this tasty, nutritious and versatile fruit, and testing our watermelon knowledge.  You’ll also be eligible to win great watermelon prizes, so RSVP for the Twitter Party here!
Also, beginning today, read all 6 posts at Kitchen PLAY sponsored by Watermelon for clues. Each post contains an "watermelon fact" that may appear as a trivia question during the Twitter Party.

Tuesday, January 22

7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PST

Follow the hashtag #All4Watermelon

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post by the Watermelon.org and Kitchen PLAY.  As always, all opinions are 100% my own. 

Gingersnaps Café au Lait

Since I’ve shared with you my signature cocktail for the holiday season here, it’s only fair that I share a hot beverage with you to accompany your dessert at the end of your holiday feast.  Here you have it—Gingersnaps Café au Lait!



I thought my all time favorite hot beverage was a cup of coffee, with lots of cream.  That’s what helps me wake up every morning, anyways.  Well, I was wrong all along, so wrong.  Hm….maybe I should say, I just found my new favorite.    This Gingersnap Café au Lait will get you hooked. 



This Gingersnaps Café au Lait is loaded with the warm spices from the ginger syrup.  The cinnamon is sweet and earthy, paired nicely with the ginger and liquorish-y star anise.  The milk is silky and sweet, go hand in hand with the strong coffee aroma.  It’s the best Holiday hot beverage you’ll ever had, I promised.  Yes, better than the hot apple cider, in my opinion.  This Gingersnaps Café au Lait is perfect with a few gingersnaps cookies for afternoon tea as well. I’ll post the cookies recipe in the near future.



Thanks to Lauren from Healthy Delicious for the inspiration for this drink.  I’m submitting this post to Kitchen PLAY.  This month, Calphalon is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win a Calphalon Kitchen Electrics prize valued at $100 (6 prizes total).  The deadline is November 30, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!









Gingersnaps Café au Lait Printable Recipe
Serves 4
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2-inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 cloves
1/2 cup milk
4 cups freshly brewed strong coffee

In a small pot, heat the sugars, water, ginger slices, cinnamon, star anise and cloves over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer for another 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, covered and let the syrup steep for 1 hour. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve and discard the spices.  Transfer syrup to a bottle until ready to serve.

In a small pot, heat milk over low heat, until scaled and do not let it boil.  Combine the coffee, warmed milk, 4 tablespoons of gingerbread syrup, and divide between four glasses.  Top with whipped cream and enjoy with Gingersnaps cookies.


This recipe is shared with:

Success U
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweets for Saturdays

Japanese Apple Salad

Nothing says Fall better than a basket full of apples of any kind.  My favorite type has always been Fuji apples.  They are crisp, juicy and sweet.  I’m indifferent toward starchy food, I guess.  Another favorite fruit of mine in the Fall are pomegranates.  They are sweet, tart and juicy.  I love the way they pop in my mouth.  I say, they’re even better than eating popping candies. Not to mention, they are good for you too.



I’ve been enjoying this salad for many years. Usually, I toss in some cooked shrimps and blenched green beans when I’m serving them as dinner.  But as a light brunch or a meal in between, this is just as delicious and satisfying.  In this recipe, I used the Japanese Mayonnaise and some curry powder.  I found that the Japanese Mayo is more flavorful and creamier than the regular ones; Which fits this recipe much better, especially one without too many ingredients.  The pistachios add a nice crunch and the pomegranate are just fun to eat as they pop in my mouth. 



I’m submitting this recipe to Kitchen PLAY.  The US Apple Association is sponsoring a giveaway at Kitchen PLAY.  Amanda from Amanda's Cookin' created a lovely recipe with her favorite ingredients. This inspired me to share my favorite Apple Salad recipe with you. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter. All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total). The deadline is September 30, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!








Japanese Apple Salad:  Printable Recipe
Makes 4 Servings

2 Fuji Apples, diced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Hass Avocado, diced
1/4 cup Japanese (Kewpie) Mayo, such as this one
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup pistachio, shelled
a handful of pomegranate seeds

Toss apple and avocado in lemon juice right after they’re diced to prevent browning.  Stir in Japanese Mayo and curry powder.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Top salad with pistachio and pomegranate seeds and serve chilled.

This recipe is shared with:

Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Fat Camp Friday
Friday Potluck