7 unique ways to use watermelon

What better way to enjoy summertime brunch than with a cool jug of your favorite sangria. This recipe for Watermelon Sangria, created by the folks at the trendy restaurant Valanni, in Philadelphia, Pa., is a great drink to serve to friends. Give yourself time to let it chill for the best tasting results.

Recipe: Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon’s sweet, crunchy flavor lends itself surprisingly well to salads, and we don’t mean fruit salad. The trick is to pair it with foods sporting contrasting flavors and textures. Anything salty and savory is good. This simple recipe for spicy watermelon salad with feta cheese and basil is a great start, but improvise as you see fit.

Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Salad with Feta and Basil

This homemade lemonade infused with fresh watermelon is the perfect way to quench your thirst. It mixes up quickly in a blender and is bursting with sweet, fruity, watermelon flavor!

Recipe: Watermelon Lemonade

These easy to make fruity ice cubes are awesome in lemonade, ginger ale, plain or flavored seltzer water, even orange soda. They can also add a nice summer touch to gin and tonics and margaritas.

Recipe: Watermelon Ice Cubes

Watermelon feta mint skewers are a crowd favorite and they’re one of the easiest appetizer recipes around. Salty feta compliments sweet watermelon for an appetizer that will please people of all ages.

Recipe: Watermelon Feta Mint Skewers

On a hot summer day, there's nothing like a pitcher of sweet, refreshing watermelon juice to keep you hydrated.

Recipe: Watermelon Juice

Peppadew is the brand name of sweet piquanté peppers grown in the Limpopo province of South Africa. These mildly spicy pickled cherry sized peppers are tangy, tart and sweet and available in store deli sections near the olives. Fabulous to have on hand for an impromptu dinner party or get together, great with cheese, stuffed or even thrown on the grill.