Taste of Home's Watermelon Baby Carriage - Everyday Cooking Adventures

This was the centerpiece of the recent baby shower I threw for my dear friend. I knew I wanted to make it but slightly doubted I could pull it off. Thanks to my man who cut the watermelon and its handle up for me, it looked amazing! His tip is to draw an outline with a pen before starting to cut to make it a little easier. Also, there was so much liquid that filled up the watermelon as it was being scooped out that we had to pour it out 3 times and even dry the inside with a couple paper towels so the salad wouldn’t become mush. Hint: See my recipe for Martha Stewart’s Watermelon Punch to put it to use!

With the bigger chunks of watermelon taken out of the center, I used a melon baller to add them to my fruit salad. To that I added blueberries, sliced strawberries, grapes, and orange cantaloupe. It was a hit and made the buffet spread really special. I prepared it the day before, covered it with plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator overnight which turned out just fine.

Watermelon Baby Carriage Recipe
Recipe By: Taste of Home’s Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2002

Total Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 20-24 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium watermelon
5 toothpicks
4 orange slices
2 cups seedless red grapes, divided
1 medium cantaloupe, cut into balls or
2 cups seedless green grapes
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
Poppy seed salad dressing

Directions:
1. With a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from bottom of melon it sits flat. Lightly score a horizontal line halfway up sides and around the melon, leaving 5 in. from one end unmarked on each side for baby carriage hood.

2. For hood, make another line around top of watermelon, connecting both sides of the horizontal line. Using the rounded edge of a biscuit cutter as a guide, mark a scalloped edge along all straight lines. With a long sharp knife, cut into melon along the scalloped lines, making sure to cut all the way through the melon rind. Gently pull off rind. Remove fruit from melon and removed section; cut fruit into balls or cubes and set aside.

3. For the U-shaped handle, cut out a 5-in. square from the removed section of rind. Cut out the center and one end, leaving a 1-in.-wide handle. Break one toothpick in half. Attach handle to watermelon with toothpick halves.

4. For wheels, position orange slices at base of watermelon and attach with toothpicks.

5. In a large bowl, combine the cantaloupe, green grapes, strawberries, remaining red grapes and reserved watermelon. Spoon into baby carriage. Serve with poppy seed salad dressing. Yield: 20-24 servings.