Memorial Day "Grown-Up" Watermelon Recipe

How exciting! Memorial Day is quickly approaching, and most of us get to enjoy a three-day weekend! What fun!

This particular weekend means a lot to me - in particular - summer is here! At last! We can enjoy the warmth of the sunny skies, go swimming, boating, and many other activities that we have been unable to participate in for quite a few months!

One of my favorite treats for Memorial Day is my spiked watermelon - my neighbors all ask me to bring this delicious adult-snack every summer, so I'm going to share this idea with you too!

A few days before the 'event,' go to your local grocery store and buy a large oblong watermelon. Before you stick it in a refrigerator, grab some red, white or blue spray paint and give it a real good coat. Make sure that you spread out the newspaper so you don't get paint on anything else. The object here is to be able to identify this particular melon so it doesn't accidentally get into the hands of someone underage. Let it dry completely - you may have to give it a roll every half hour or so.

On the top of the melon, take a small pearing knife and cut through the skin of the melon, creating a hole about the size of a quarter. Pull the plug out and set aside. Take your favorite bottle of spiced rum (my favorite), and tip the bottle upside down so that it flows directly into the melon. Now, you'll want to chill the melon in your refrigerator for a few days (with the bottle of spiced rum soaking into the melon).

Once that is done, pull the bottle out and replace the plug. Set the watermelon back into the refrigerator - at a slightly different angle (be sure to keep the plug in an upward direction), and keep shifting the melon so that the rum soaks throughout.

On the day of the event, make sure you're friends understand that your RED melon is for those of the responsible age of 21 years and older.

Slice the melon and distribute to your friends. Sweet, spiced, cool and refreshing! Enjoy!