Watermelon Thyme Martini

Happy 4th of July everybody!!!  I am SO excited to be sharing this post with my friend Terry Jordan, who is the best bartender I know!  If you are anywhere near Hattiesburg, MS, you MUST find him and have him make you a drink, as he is absolutely a superstar.  Just ask anyone around here, and they will tell you the same.  Currently, Terry works at Patio 44, where you can enjoy your drinks or food either inside or outside on the spacious patio, often with a musician playing in the evenings.  You know the kind of place, right?  

Well one day recently I asked Terry to make me a drink.  That was the extent of the instructions.  I've known him long enough to blindly put my order in his hands and know that he will come up with something wonderful and original that I will fall in love with.  That's a lot of trust, right?!  I know that he is always experimenting with new flavor combinations, and he's never let me down.  But anyway... he came out with this watermelon thyme martini.  OH MY GOSH!!!!  

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Ingredients:   (for 1 martini)

• 1/2 lemon (you will need the rind as well)
• 2/3 lime
• 1/2 cup watermelon chunks
• 4 sprigs thyme (2 tsp)
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz Absolute Citron vodka

I'm giving you the ingredients for one drink at a time, because that's the way bartenders do it.  Period. 

Just so you all know, I've never had a "guest recipe" on here before, but I SO NEEDED to have this recipe, that I messaged Terry and offered him the first official GUEST BLOGGER spot on Menu Musings!  Woo HOO!!!!  :)  So Terry gets all the credit for this recipe, folks!  Do visit him and order drinks for yourself and see how awesome he is... and by all means, please tell him I sent you!

* Terry's additional suggestions for you!

• dry roast thyme to make thyme simple syrup
• puree watermelon ahead of time to make watermelon ice cubes for garnish

Step-by-Step:   

Begin my cutting all of your fruit, and preparing your simple syrup if you are not using a purchased simple syrup.

Here are all of our players.  Ready for some action!

We will need watermelon both for the recipe and the garnish.

Okay.  Let's do it!

After you squeeze the lemons in the shaker, go ahead and throw the rinds in as well.  The essential oils from the rinds will help flavor the drink, and they will all be strained out later.

1/2 of a lemon

1/2 cup of watermelon

Not only will these be perfect for the 4th of July, but these will be great ALL summer!  So refreshing!

4 sprigs of thyme leaves (about 2 tsp) stripped from the stems

This is what it looks like so far.

Now it's time to start muddling it all together really well.  You need to extract all the juice from the watermelon as well as the lemon rind, etc.

So while you are doing all this, you need to have your glass chilling.  This is one of those secret bartender tricks. Ahhhh... Now we know!!! 

Back to the show.
Now add about 2/3 of a lime.  I mean, come on, people.... the balance of flavors in this thing is spot on!  I think I learned that I need to spend less time sitting outside on the patio and a little more time watching what all goes into the glass.  What a fun "assignment" this was!

Now 1/2 ounce of simple syrup.  Terry says that it helps the drink "stay on the palate longer."  

Now 2 ounces of Absolute Citron vodka.  Okay - this is something you'll never see ME do.. I guess you have to "feel" what 2 ounces feels like?  Yeah... I have to measure everything out.  That's why HE's back there making you drinks.  I'd have orders backed up 'till Christmas! 

Add ice to your shaker, and shake - shake - shake for a good minute until the drink is super cold.  Terry's drinks are THE coldest!  

Now normally I would choose one photo to represent the shaking of the drink, but when I saw the progression of the shaking, they tell such a story, that I couldn't bear to take them out.  Terry's eye's and brow tell the story of the conquest of the drink.  From eyebrows up (let me shake this drink now), to all the way down (I - will - NOT - be - defeated - by - this - DRINK!)!  LOL!!!!!!  

I love this shot so much!  It looks like Terry has just defeated his opponent.   The only thing in focus is this cold shaker, which he is presenting as the prize.  "See?  Here it is.  We've DONE it!" (brows relaxed)  Geez, I realized maybe I haven't been working quite hard enough at my drinks.  Have you guys been tipping your bartenders?  :)

Now strain your drink into your well chilled glass.  Garnish if you'd like with a slice of watermelon and a sprig of thyme.

Please join me in thanking Terry Jordan over at Patio 44 for joining us on Menu Musings!  I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this awesome guest recipe!

There are hundreds more recipes in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

The Menu Musings cookbook is sure to be a hit at your house, and will make great gifts!  For more information, here is a link!

Order a signed copy of the Menu Musings Cookbook! 

Connect with me.    

If you are new to MenuMusings, click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!  I'll send you notifications of new posts to help you avoid that proverbial cooking rut.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and on the MenuMusings facebook page.

Here are some bonus recipes for you!
Orzo Artichoke Pasta Salad

Fire Roasted Corn Guacamole

Korean BBQ Shish Kabobs

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta

Grilled Zucchini Rolls

New Orleans Praline Brownies

Written Method:

Begin my cutting all of your fruit, and preparing your simple syrup if you are not using a purchased simple syrup.  After you squeeze the lemons in the shaker, go ahead and throw the rinds in as well.  The essential oils from the rinds will help flavor the drink, and they will all be strained out later.  Add in the juice from the lime and the watermelon chunks.  Strip the leaves from the thyme and add them to the shaker.

Now it's time to start muddling it all together really well.  You need to extract all the juice from the watermelon as well as the lemon rind, etc.  While you are doing all this, you need to have your glass chilling. 

Now add the simple syrup and the vodka.  Add ice to your shaker, and shake - shake - shake for a good minute until the drink is super cold.  Now strain your drink into your well chilled glass.  Garnish if you'd like with a slice of watermelon and a sprig of thyme.

Happy Hour Pizza Rolls

If your house is anything like mine in the summer, you probably have an endless trail of extra kids around and about.  Ours vary in age from kindergarten to "Hey mom, the boat needs more gas!"  It's a fun summer!  One thing we can count on is that around 5pm, they start circling... like sharks!  What's going to be on the dinner menu?  So and so's going to be eating with us!  When is dinner going to be ready?  (Same time as it always is!)  So I decided that I would do a little "happy hour" appetizer for the group of teenagers that were out back in the boathouse.  Maybe we could hold off dinner a little longer - right?  Well just to finish my story... these were gone in just a few minutes... and then they STILL asked "So when is dinner going to be ready?"  LOL!!

These are so incredibly easy, and the ingredients are probably in your house right now!  They are so versatile.... I'm thinking everything from little kids getting home off of the bus to grown-up happy hour with real cocktails.  You could fill them with your favorite fillings.  Why limit yourself?  :)

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Ingredients:  

• Eggroll wrappers
• Pepperoni slices 
• Mozzarella string cheese
• Dried oregano
• Peanut oil for frying
• Pizza sauce for serving

Step-by-Step:

Orient the wrapper with the points facing you, as a diamond shape.  Not like a square. Lay several pepperoni slices out in the middle of the egg roll wrapper, overlapping them a little.  Unwrap and lay the mozzarella string cheese out on top of the pepperoni. 

pepperoni and mozzarella (you could also try turkey pepperoni or even ham and turkey!)

Season generously with dried oregano.

dried oregano for that pizzeria smell and taste!

Wet the edges of the wrapper.  Fold in the side points closest to the cheese.  

Wet the folded sides with your finger, then fold up the point closest to you over the cheese. 

Wrap and roll!

Make sure the far point of the wrapper is wet , then roll the whole thing away from you, sealing the wrapper.   

water glues them together.

all "sealed" up.

Allow the rolls to "dry" on parchment while you are prepping the rest of the rolls.  

drying on parchment

Fry in peanut or canola oil for about 2 minutes each.  I had my oil at about 375 degrees F.  If your rolls do not immediately start sizzling, your oil is not hot enough.  Can you see my thermometer sticking down in the pot?  :)

375 F peanut oil x about 2 minutes

Drain on paper towels and serve with warm pizza sauce.  

I hope you enjoyed this simple and delicious recipe!
There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

The Menu Musings cookbook is sure to be a hit at your house, and will make great gifts!  For more information, here is a link!

Order a signed copy of the Menu Musings Cookbook! 

Connect with me.    

If you are new to MenuMusings, click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!  I'll send you notifications of new posts to help you avoid that proverbial cooking rut.  You can also follow me on Pinterest and on the MenuMusings facebook page.

Also, Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel for short video tutorials on selected videos.  Watch me explain the steps of the recipes in just a few minutes!  Just one more way that I'm giving you the tools to get in that kitchen!!! Aren't you curious?  Click and see how many there are!  :)

Here's just one example - Apple and Cherry Danish Tarts

Here are some bonus recipes for you!
Korean BBQ Shish Kabobs

BLT Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Creamy Chicken Piccata

Coconut Lime Chicken

Oven Baked Fajitas

Tomato Basil Chicken

Written Method:

Orient the wrapper with the points facing you, as a diamond shape.  Not like a square. Lay several pepperoni out in the middle of the egg roll wrapper, overlapping them a little.  Unwrap and lay the mozzarella string cheese out on top of the pepperoni.  Season generously with dried oregano.

Wet the edges of the wrapper.  Fold in the side points closest to the cheese.   Wet the folded sides with your finger, then fold up the point closest to you over the cheese.  Make sure the far point of the wrapper is wet , then roll the whole thing away from you, sealing the wrapper.  

Allow the rolls to "dry" on parchment while you are prepping the rest of the rolls.  

Fry in peanut or canola oil for about 2 minutes each.  I had my oil at about 375 degrees F.  Drain on paper towels and serve with warm pizza sauce.