What is this thing I have for Watermelon?

I love fruit! I think it so yummy. It is a perfect food. Sweet and pretty dang good for you, no matter what some dieters say. For me it has not always been love when it comes to fruit. When I was pregnant some fruits tasted different. Nasty. I have no idea why but they tasted fake and like they were sweetened with some fake sweetener. I hate fake sweet. Watermelon was one of those fruits. I ate some when I was pregnant with Perrin and this summer is the first summer that I have been able to eat it with out having to fight off the gag reflex. You might say I have fallen in love with watermelon all over again.

Every season I pick a fruit or vegetable and do some experimental cooking. This is not a conscious thing it just happens. In the fall I have had a cooking affair with apples and pumpkins. In the winter I have toyed with cranberries. Spring brings strawberries and so many other berries to play with. Last summer I canned peaches, made peach jam, and canned peach pie! Scramming success! This summer it has been watermelon. I pickled some watermelon rinds and made watermelon jelly. I am going to give you the recipe I used for Zesty Watermelon Jelly.

I think it is tasty. I can't wait to have one of those dreadful winter days when I am achy for summer. On this day I will pull out my watermelon jelly and have some toast. It is a taste of summer all bottled up and ready for my winter blues.

6 cups chopped watermelon, rind removed (save it for pickled watermelon rinds)
1/2 Apple cider vinegar
4 T Lemon Juice
5 cups sugar
1 T grated lemon rind
2 pouches (3oz each) Liquid pectin

In a large stainless steel saucepan, crush watermelon with a potato masher. Cover and heat gently over med-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and crush thoroughly. (I put it in my blender so that I knew it was very crushed. Heating it lets the juices out more easily.)

Transfer to a strainer lined with several layers of dampened cheese cloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip, undisturbed, for 2 hours. Measure 2 cups watermelon juice. If you do not have the required amount, crush more watermelon or add up to 1/4 cup unsweetened white grape juice.

Transfer watermelon juice to a clean large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, and grated lemon rind. Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Stir in pectin. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam.

Next can it!

I got this recipe from a wonderful book called, "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving 400 delicious and creative recipes for today."
I got the book at Costco and I love it.