By Lorelei Elkins

Watermelon - a summertime favorite!  It’s sweet and delicious, and goes well with bacon.  WHAT?!  You heard that right, it goes well with bacon, another reason to love this ubiquitous summertime treat.  Below are two recently tested recipes to help you make the most of this delicious and versatile fruit.

Bacon Wrapped Watermelon, it might sound odd, but you do know that everything tastes better with bacon, right? In this case, the saltiness of the bacon goes really well with the juicy sweetness of the watermelon. If that’s not crazy enough for your taste buds, add a basil leaf. Basil is supposed to be a natural flavor pairing for watermelon.   

Ingredients

1lb hardwood smoked bacon

½ small watermelon cut into 2 inch cubes

16 small basil leaves

Directions
Cook bacon until fat is rendered.  Bacon should be starting to crisp around the edges, but soft and pliable in the middle.
While warm, wrap bacon slices around watermelon cubes.  Top with basil leaf and secure with a toothpick.

 

Grilled Watermelon is a simple and delicious way to fix your favorite summertime fruit.  Seriously, this is amazing. The combination of the sweet and smoky flavor is a surprising delight.  Toss in a little spice and you’ve really got a flavor to write home about.

Ingredients

• 1 small watermelon
• 1 tea spoon red pepper flakes
• 1 lime wedge for serving

Directions

• Heat grill to high
• Cut watermelon in one-inch-thick wedges
• Season watermelon with pepper flakes (some people like to add a little sugar and lime zest to this step)
• When the grill is hot, add the watermelon slices in a single layer and grill until warm, about 2 minutes to a side.
• Chill the watermelon then serve with a lime wedge, or topped with feta cheese or Greek yogurt, or pair with your favorite ice cream for dessert. Some people like a little sea salt sprinkled on top to finish it off!Sigh, I love summertime.