Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad

This is a great Spring and Summer salad.  The crunch from the watermelon and the tartness from the tomatoes all get mellowed out by the Feta cheese.  Pretty as a picture!  Oh, here's the picture.

Ingredients:

• 6 C. watermelon, cut into bite size cubes
• 2 pts. Sunburst tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1 small red onion, quartered and sliced thin
• ½ t. black pepper, fresh cracked
• ¼ C. red wine or apple cider vinegar
• ½ C. olive oil
• ¼ lb. (4 oz.) feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Combine the watermelon and tomatoes in a large bowl; sprinkle with sugar and salt and toss.  Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Drain the excess juice; add the onions, pepper, vinegar and oil and toss.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours; sprinkle the feta into the bowl before serving.

Tips and Tricks:

• If you can’t get the Sunburst tomatoes, you can use Roma tomatoes cut into cubes.  The yellow tomatoes give the salad a great color contrast, but it is not necessary.
• The seeds in a Roma tomato are sometimes bitter; I usually squeeze the tomato and remove the seeds, before cutting them for this salad.

Watermelon Mojitos

What a great spring or summer drink.  Refreshing and beautiful.  It is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, but I've added the mint-infused simple syrup.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Mint infused simple syrup:

• 20 fresh mint leaves
• 1 C. sugar
• 1 C. water

Mojitos:

• 6 C. of cubed watermelon
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 1 ½ C. light rum
• ½ C. mint-infused simple syrup
• 3 limes, freshly squeezed

Directions:

1. Heat the water and sugar until it comes to a boil
2. Mix well and turn off the heat
3. Add the mint and cover
4. Let the mixture steep for at least 1 hour
5. In a food processer, add the seedless watermelon and the mint
6. Puree until fine
7. Pour the watermelon mixture through a strainer to remove the big pulpy pieces
8. In a large pitcher, mix the watermelon puree, rum, fresh lime juice, and mint-infused simple syrup
9. Serve over ice

 Tips and Tricks:

• Seedless watermelon is great for this recipe. 
• This is a drink best served in a short, shallow, clear glass.  The color of the drink is so pretty.  You will want to show it off.