The Bartender is in the House! Alex Whips up a Batch of Watermelon Mojitos

Your host for today is Alex from Ma What’s for Dinner!  If you want to learn a bit more about her, be sure to check yesterday’s post where we asked Alex which three foods she’d want with her if she were stuck on a deserted island. I tell ya, she’s my kind of foodie.  I’d bunk on her island anyday!  Take it away Alex!
When Julie asked me if I would be a guest blogger for her while she went on vacation I was thrilled. I’m so delighted to help out my bloggie sister, especially one who lives a parallel life with me. See we both are cooking mommies, we both have 3 little boys, we both love to get in the kitchen and get down and dirty, we’re both going on vacation….uh, wait a minute! What the…???? I’m not going on vacation. Ooooooh noooooooo. Not even close! It’s summertime, there’s no preschool, Julie’s living it up by some lake in Vermont, and I’m here hanging out, in the rain, with three little ankle biters. Hmmmmmmm…jealous much?

So here’s the thing, what do you do when you wish you were on vacation someplace warm and relaxing and you’re stuck in your kitchen looking for something fun to do? You invite over some friends, fire up the grill, and make a pitcher of something that’ll cure ya. See, I used to be a bartender. Oh yeah, back in the day I was a mean drink slinger! It really was quite a blast, and in fact it’s how I landed the hubs, but that’s a story for another day, trust me, it’s a doozy! Anyway, summertime always reminds me of bartending as I spent my college summers working the bars. That’s where I learned when you can’t make it out of town on a vacation, and life hands you some lemons (or limes as the case may be when you’re tending bar) you learn to make….mojitos!!!

For one pitcher of watermelon mojitos. Serves 4, or 2, or 1…

One Half of a Seedless Watermelon
8 Fresh Mint Leaves
Juice of 2 Limes
3 T Sugar
1 cup Rum
Ice
1 Cup Lemon Lime Soda

Cut your watermelon into large chunks and toss into a blender. Puree until smooth then pour through a strainer into a bowl. Set aside.

In the bottom of a large pitcher toss in a bunch of ice cubes. Throw in your mint leaves and sugar. Using the nonstirring (so not a word but you know what I mean right?) side of a wooden spoon smush the mint into the ice and sugar and stir around (ie muddle the mint). Squeeze the lime juice over the ice. Pour in your rum, strained watermelon, and soda. Give it a quick stir and pour into a glass.

Serve with a lime wedge and sprig of mint. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

Hope you’re enjoying the time with the fam, Julie. We miss you. Thanks for trusting me to hold down the fort here. Pull up a stool and toss back a few will ya? Cheers! And thanks to your readers for putting up with my ramblings. So can I ask you, what’s your favorite summertime drinks?