WHAT'S COOKIN'?

Summer Melon with Sherbet and Fresh Mint Syrup

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh mint

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/2 ripe honeydew melon, halved and seeded

1/2 ripe cantaloupe, halved and seeded

1 pint fresh berries

1 pint fruit sorbet

Fresh mint leaves

Tie mint in a cheesecloth bag and place in a saucepan. Add sugar and water; bring mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat; cover and let cool. Remove and discard cheesecloth bag. Refrigerate mint syrup until ready to serve.

Scoop melons with 1-inch melon baller or ice cream scoop, and place three pieces on each serving plate. Serve with berries and top with sorbet and fresh mint leaves. Drizzle with mint syrup. Use extra mint syrup in iced tea.

Lemonade Pie

1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

In a large bowl, mix together concentrate and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in whipped topping. Pour filling into crust and chill before serving.

Ice Pops

1 (3 oz.) package fruit flavored gelatin mix

1 unsweetened, flavored soft drink mix package

1 cup white sugar

2 cups boiling water

2 cups cold water

Dissolve gelatin, soft drink mix and sugar in boiling water. Stir in cold water and pour into popsicle molds or small plastic drinking cups. Freeze until hard. (If using plastic drinking cups, freeze until firm, insert popsicle sticks, then freeze completely.)

Tip: When picking a melon, smell it for freshness and ripeness. Check to see that the fruit is heavy in weight and that the spot on the end where it has been plucked from the vine is soft. — Pam Griffin