The post where watermelon becomes the only food I will eat...

AKA: the post where this:

Becomes this:

With the help of that genius Deb at Smitten Kitchen. Seriously, I seem to be a little bit obsessed with her lately and I want to make every single thing she posts.

Usually, when it comes to summer fruit, I try to keep it pure and simple. I like to eat the fruit plain as a snack rather than fuss around with a recipe trying to turn it into "dessert" (she types as she thinks about the sweet cherry bars she baked two days ago [also from SK] but nobody knows about those so just don't say anything about them...problem solved). But by the time I've compulsively brought home my fourth watermelon in a month...I start to think that a little variety would be nice.

Anway, here's the part where I tell you how to do this (exactly the way I did it) so that you can run off to your kitchen and re-create it. As you should.

You start with a small seedless watermelon that was really cheap. That is why you bought it in the first place. It was small (but not too small) and PRACTICALLY FREE. Then puree the whole thing in your food processor. No food processor? No problem...just use your blender...magic bullet?...food mill?...neighbors? Anyway, you could do this a little at a time so that you don't blend up the whole watermelon and have leftover juice but if you're like me, you can't be bothered with thinking ahead like that. Just go ahead and blend up the whole thing. You could also send the puree through a strainer to get out the seeds, but N8tr0n and I just drank them and didn't even notice.

Okay, now it is time to make your simple syrup. Maybe you should have started this before cutting up your watermelon but again...you weren't thinking ahead. I recommend using SK's method of using 1 part sugar to 1/2 part water. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and then add the other 1/2 part water. If you add cool water it will cool off your syrup and save time. (P.S. I used 1 cup of sugar and had plenty of syrup.)

Now, go to your freezer and get all of your frozen lemon juice. That's right. For once in this recipe you THOUGHT AHEAD. If you don't have a bunch of frozen lemon juice on hand that's okay...just juice a bunch of lemons. The rest of the ingredients can wait.

Finally, put all of your ingredients (measurements below) into a beautiful pitcher and stir. I used my immersion hand blender which gave it a pretty frothy top. Pour yourself a glass of this Summer In A Pitcher and enjoy. (I think the flavor is improved about 10% if you drink it with ice and a straw.) Take a look at your kitchen and decide to take pictures for posterity.

(mumbles something about cooking with abandon...)

Recipe: Watermelon Lemonade

Via: Smitten Kitchen

2 C. Watermelon puree

1 C. Fresh lemon juice

3/4 C. Simple syrup

3 C. Water

Adjust to taste.