Watermelon Fruit Bowl Food

WATERMELON FRUIT BOWL

Steps:

• With a large, sharp knife, remove the top 1/4 section of the watermelon. With a melon baller, scoop flesh from inside of watermelon, removing as many seeds as possible. Leave 1/2 inch of flesh inside the shell of the watermelon. Scoop cantaloupe and honeydew in the same manner, removing as much flesh as possible, and discarding the rinds. Refrigerate fruits separately until ready to assemble.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat, and continue stirring until sugar has completely dissolved. Add lemon zest, and set aside to cool.
• To serve, place watermelon balls, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, and grapes, in a large mixing bowl. Pour syrup over, and toss thoroughly. Transfer mixture to watermelon bowl, and serve. Set aside any fruit mixture that will not fit. There will be enough fruit to refill the bowl.

SHARK AND WAVES GIANT WATERMELON BOWL

Steps:

• Using a large chef's knife, cut both watermelons in half lengthwise through the stem. With a melon half flesh side up, cut vertical lines into the flesh (leaving rind intact) 1 inch apart and about 2 inches deep along the length of each half, leaving a 1-inch border of flesh on both ends. Repeat this process with the lines going in the opposite direction. Use a spoon to scoop out the watermelon pieces into a large bowl (it's okay if some of the spears break in half as you are doing this.) Repeat with the remaining melon halves. Use the spoon to remove as much of the flesh left in the watermelon halves as possible and save for another use.
• Cut 1 1/2 inches off both ends of 2 of the watermelon halves (these halves will become the middle parts of the bowl). Cut 1 1/2 inches off one end of the 2 remaining halves (these will become the bookends of your bowl). Use the flesh left in the watermelon ends to stamp out sharks with a 3-inch shark cookie cutter and set aside.
• Use a metal skewer to outline waves along the top edge of each watermelon half. Then carefully cut out the wave pattern using a sharp paring knife. Take one middle piece and one bookend piece and place the flat sides together to create half of the large bowl. Thread the metal skewer through the bottom of the watermelons to secure them together. Repeat this process with the remaining watermelon halves and another metal skewer to create the other half of the large bowl. Place both halves on a large platter with the two middle pieces pushed together (these parts do not need to be secured with a skewer as they will stay together on the platter).
• Fill the assembled watermelon bowl with the reserved watermelon chunks. Mix the berries and grapes together and scatter on top of the watermelon, covering it as much as possible, then add the melon sharks.

WATERMELON FRUIT BASKET CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Coat a 4-quart ovenproof bowl with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mixes as directed; fold in 2 teaspoons red food coloring and the chocolate chips.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared bowl; bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then invert onto a rack to cool completely.
• Put the cake flat-side down on a small cardboard circle. Trim 2 opposite sides with a serrated knife to make an oval shape.
• Cover the sides of the cake with a thick layer of frosting; cover the top with a thin layer (this will be the bottom of the cake). Reserve about 1/2 cup frosting for the inside of the cake. Freeze until the frosting is firm, at least 20 minutes.
• Gently pat the sides of the cake with a smooth paper towel to even out any bumps in the frosting.
• Mix 1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring with a drop of green food coloring and a splash of lemon juice in a small bowl. Paint the yellow-green food coloring all over the side of the cake with a pastry brush.
• Mix 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring with a splash of lemon juice in another bowl. Paint green stripes on the cake, then blend the edges of the stripes with the tip of the pastry brush.
• Put another small cardboard circle on the cake and flip it over. Carve out the center of the cake, about 1 inch deep, leaving a 1-inch border. Cover the center with frosting, leaving the border unfrosted. Freeze the cake 20 minutes.
• Use a paring knife to make zigzag cuts around the rim of the cake. Mound the fruit in the center, covering the frosting completely.

WATERMELON FRUIT BOWL

Steps:

• Slice the watermelon in half with a sharp knife, and scoop out the flesh.
• Chop up the watermelon flesh that was removed from the rind.
• Cut up your fruit and mix with the watermelon pieces.
• Put the watermelon and fruit mixture back inside the watermelon rind.
• To make the optional dressing, whisk together lemon juice and maple syrup, then combine with the fruit before transferring into the watermelon rind.

WATERMELON BABY CARRIAGE

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from bottom of melon so it sits flat. Lightly score a horizontal line halfway up sides and around the melon, leaving 5 inches from one end unmarked on each side for baby carriage hood.
• For hood, make another line around top of watermelon, connecting both sides of the horizontal line. Using the rounded edge of a biscuit cutter as a guide, mark a scalloped edge along all straight lines. With a long sharp knife, cut into melon along the scalloped lines, making sure to cut all the way through the melon rind. Gently pull off the rind. Remove fruit from melon and removed section; Cut fruit into balls or cubes and set aside.
• For the U-shaped handle, cut out a 5 inch square form the removed section of the rind. Cut out the center and one end leaving a 1 inch wide handle. Break one toothpick in half. Attach handle to watermelon with toothpick halves.
• For wheels, position orange slices at base of watermelon and attach with toothpicks. Top each orange slice with a lime slice and a red grape.
• In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, green grapes, strawberries, remaining red grapes and reserved watermelon. Spoon into baby carriage. Serve with poppy seed salad dressing if desired.

FRESH WATERMELON AND FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Slice the watermelon lengthwise about 1/3 of the way from the top.
• This will be your bowl so you may have to slice a small portion off the bottom in order for it to sit flat.
• Either ball or chunk the watermelon flesh.
• Hollow out the watermelon shell completely.
• Ball or chunk the remaining melons.
• Chunk the pineapple.
• Mix all the fruits in the melon bowl.
• Combine the juices, water and sugar together.
• Pour over the fruits and toss lightly.
• Chill if desired or serve immediately.

CARVED WATERMELON BOWL

Steps:

• To carve melon bowl, cut off top 1/4 of melon. Being careful not to cut through to melon, cut thin slice from bottom of melon so it will sit flat. Scoop out watermelon, leaving 1/2- to 1-inch-thick shell.
• Carve watermelon as shown in steps on right. Wrap melon bowl in plastic wrap to keep moist; refrigerate until ready to fill. At serving time, fill with cut-up fruit.

WATERMELON FRUIT BOWL

Steps:

• Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 3 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water.
• Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened.
• Add fruit; stir. Pour into Watermelon Bowl. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.