Triple Sec & Lemon Popsicles

I feel like I've been phoning it in.  I am sorry, I actually feel bad about this.  I want to give you my all.  I want to pore over food photography books until my own food photos actually look appetizing.  I want to dig deep into my magazines and not come up again until I have a recipe plan, complete with shopping list and preferably people to help eat the goods.  Most importantly, I want my dinner to not be nachos for 4 week nights in a row and my lunches to not be ham and turkey on wheat bread sandwiches.  And yet...

Alas, all I have to give you are these popsicles.  These alcoholic, tart, pure-citrus popsicles.  I know this is not a bad thing, in fact, it is quite a great thing, it's just not what I thought.  How's that for a Debbie Downer?  Do me a favor and just tune out my complaining about my inability to fulfill these crazy visions I give myself.  It's fruitless as well.  I mentioned alcoholic popsicles and you really shouldn't listen to another word I say, unless it is alcoholic popsicles. 

Here's the break down on the popsicles.  1. Delicious.  2.  Didn't quite freeze all the way, so sticky too.  3.  If you decide to forgo popsicle molds and just drink the concoction over ice, well then my friend, we should hang out soon.  Because, this tart lemon squeeze is fantastic any way you want it: frozen almost solid, slushy, chilled on the rocks.  It just happens to get into your stomach a heck of a lot faster (with much less of a mess too!) without the four hour freezing time.  Basically, after a 10 minute session of making the drink, it's a choose your own adventure situation:  1. Freeze solid for a popsicle.  2. Freeze and fluff for a granita.  3. Pour over ice and drink, NOW!

Personally?  I'll be with the lazy folk in the corner, happily drinking away their popsicle cocktails.

PS - just in case you ever try to make a celebrity couple name out of popsicle and cocktail, just don't.  The first thing  you will say is cock-sicle.  Which is inappropriate, and consequently hilarious.

Triple Sec & Lemon Popsicles
Adapted from Cooking Light, August 2011

I don't think I will make these as popsicles again.  As per above, because they really work quite excellently just over ice.  As a drink?  They are very much fair game.

1 1/4 c. water
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1-2 Tbsp. lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons)
1 c. fresh lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
1/2 c. triple sec

In small sauce pan, whisk together sugar and water.  Over medium high heat, bring to a simmer.  Whisk until sugar has dissolved.  Stir in zest.  Set aside to cool.  Once cool, strain simple syrup and discard zest.  Stir in lemon juice and triple sec.

Here comes decision making time.  Chill and serve over ice?  Or if you have a little more ambition, pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least 4 hours, until frozen solid.  Enjoy fast, as they melt!!