Cantaloupe & Basil Granita

Recipe & Pic from Grab A Plate

A lovely antidote to this smoky weather and a great way to appreciate your melon!

~Rae

1 cantaloupe, seeds and rind removed, and cut into chunks

1/2 cup water

2-3 tablespoons honey (based on how sweet your fruit is)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 basil leaves, divided, plus extra for optional garnish

Add the water, honey, lemon juice, and two basil leaves to a saucepan over high heat. Use a spoon to press down on the basil leaves a few times to help release their flavor.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat, remove and discard the basil leaves, and allow the mixture to cool.

Add the cantaloupe and the liquid mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Add the two remaining basil leaves, and blend again until they’re incorporated into the mixture.

Place the mixture into a shallow glass pan and place in the freezer.

After an hour, remove the pan and use a fork to scrape the mixture around. It should have begun to freeze by this point, but may still be in a fairly liquid state. Place the pan back in the freezer.

Repeat this process after another hour, and repeat hourly, as needed, until you reach your desired consistency (you may want to leave yourself several hours of freezing time before you want to serve the granita).

Serve in individual bowls, and garnish with basil leaves if you’d like.

Simple Cantaloupe Margarita

Recipe & Pic from Urban Bliss Life

It's going to be hot again this week and a cool cocktail might be just what you need! Make it virgin by leaving out the tequila or give yourself a real treat and freeze the cantaloupe first for a frozen margarita!

2½ cups cantaloupe, chopped into small pieces

2 ounces tequila

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon light agave nectar

mint leaves or lime slices for garnish

In a blender, add cantaloupe, lime juice, tequila, and agave nectar and blend until smooth.

Pour into two glasses.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves or lime slice

Recipe: Spiced Melon Tea Loaf

from Jo Cooks

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp cinnamon ground

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ginger ground

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups sugar granulated

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups cantaloupe ripe, grated (only the flesh)

Heat the oven to 350 F degrees. Grease and flour two 5×8 inch loaf pans. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

With an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a bowl until well blended and slightly frothy. Fold in the grated cantaloupe. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold until just blended; don't overmix or your tea cakes will be tough.

Divide the batter between the loaf pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, about 1 hour.

Let cool on a rack, then invert. Serve just slightly warm or at room temperature.