J is for: Jello Shots {Watermelon Mint}

Sooooo....this happened.

I'm at the store and for some reason this watermelon catches my eye. It says "Oh hello. Please make a jello shot out of me." Well who am I to argue with a watermelon?

Seriously though, talking watermelons aside, I had no intentions of making jello shots when I walked into the grocery store this morning. But then I remembered it was "J" week...the 6-month anniversary of the first ever jello shot on this blog. Since then, I've concocted 10 jello shots in all.

Sometimes I worry I'm a little out of control with all of the jello shot-making. (Like when I opted for the economy-size box of Knox gelatin at the store recently.) But then I remember how awesome they are and I quickly get over it.



Once I got the watermelon home, I sort of just stared at it for awhile trying to figure out how to make it into a worthy jello shot vessel. In retrospect, a half watermelon (versus a quarter or one) would have probably been the easier route. But I didn't have half a watermelon. I had a quarter of one. So I sort of made it into a little canoe with the sides still in tact so it could hold the jello while it sets. Don't worry about completely scraping it all out. It will be a nice little final bite when people are enjoying the jello shots!


Now sure, you could just buy watermelon jello, but that's not how I roll. I was inspired by my friend Kim's boozy popsicles she made for her rehearsal dinner. Use the scooped-out watermelon and plop it into a blender with about 15-20 fresh mint leaves. Blend until smooth. (Alternately, if you have a juicer, I bet that would work really well here).


From here, you need to remove the solids. To do this, Simply pour through a mesh strainer. You'll need about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of watermelon mint juice to make a single batch of jello shots.


To make the jello mixture, combine watermelon mint juice with a little fresh squeezed lime juice and 1-2 tablespoons honey in a small saucepan. Sprinkle with 2 packets of Knox gelatin and let it soak in for a bit. Heat until everything has dissolved, stirring constantly. Stir in vodka (I used some citrus-infused stuff) or gin and then pour into your watermelon "boat." (You might want to set it in a small pan in case it spills over at all). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.


Once jello has set, you can cut into wedges. To do this, I first sliced off the watermelon "walls." Then I cut cut the big wedge in half lengthwise. Finally, I cut those into little wedges.


How *perfect* would these be for those summer BBQ's?!? Serve them on a platter garnished with mint and get ready for your friends to be amazed.

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Watermelon Mint Jello Shots

by Jaymee Sire
Keywords: cocktail jello shot dessert jello shot watermelon mint gin

Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Carefully hollow out watermelon to create a "boat" to hold jello mixture.
  2. Combine watermelon (about 2-3 cups) with mint in a blender and process until smooth. Strain solids through mesh strainer.
  3. Pour 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of the watermelon-mint juice into a small saucepan. (Use less liquid for a firmer shot or if you plan to set them out for a long period of time). Add lime juice and honey and sprinkle with gelatin packets. Allow to soak in for a minute or two and heat until everything is dissolved, stirring constantly.
  4. Stir in alcohol and pour into the hollowed-out watermelon. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Slice into wedges, garnish with fresh mint and serve!
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