Triple Lemon Icy Freezy Pops

Today we made the first recipe out of our new favorite kid's cookbook: The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook. This book is available in bookstore likes Barnes and Noble, and online on Amazon. It's worth the money.  Maddie and I flipped through it and marked all the recipes we want to try.  Our first experiment was Triple Power Icy Lemon Pops.  Harry received a lemon pop for his birthday from the Dursleys (they had no intention of getting him a cake), and the secret password to Dumbledore's office is "Lemon Drop."

A Note on Knife Usage

This was the first time Maddie used a real cutting knife. We originally cut the lemon into pieces, but eventually decided against using it.  I want to offer a word on knife use.  No, this isn't going to be the typical always supervise kids when using knives.  If you don't, well, you're an idiot (no need to be politically correct here).  No, this is about proper knife usage.  This goes for parents as well.  I learned this after seeing chef Alton Brown at a cooking presentation.

Do NOT hold your knife like the following.  You have no control over the blade:

Hold your knife like THIS. You control the entire knife from handle to tip.  Additionally, teach your children to slice forward, not toward themselves. (And a note about the pictures...obviously I was right there, and no, she used a small knife to cut.  The big one was simply easier to photograph)

Alrighty...let's get to the recipe.


Ingredients:

Grated zest of 1 lemon (we skipped this because Maddie doesn't care for the consistency)
3 Tablespoons of lemon juice
7 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 and 3/4 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract (huh?  Who has this?  It was supposed to be used to intensify the yellow color and the taste...I just used a little yellow food coloring, and the lemon juice was enough "lemony flavor" for us) 

Process:

Combine the juice, sugar, and water together in a saucepan.  Mix thoroughly and often as you bring the mixture to simmer.  As soon as it simmers take it off the stove and add the lemon extract (or the food coloring).  Mix again until blended. 

I found little plastic freezer pop molds at the local CVS.  My guess is that you can get them at the Dollar Store or any grocery store that sells summer knick knacks.  I suggest purchasing two of them.  We had a lot of solution left over.  If you don't want to waste, pour into ice cube trays, and either leave them simply as ice cubes (I bet they'll look awesome in pink lemonade), or cellophane over the entire ice cube tray, and stick little toothpicks in each cube mold and make cute little ice pops.  (I bet you remember doing that as a kid, don't you).  Put the molds and ice cube trays in the freezer and, well, freeze them.  Summery, refreshing, and fun to make. (Oh, and this used about about a half hour...)

  
This was fun, easy, and allowed Maddie to do a little cooking.  Obviously you don't want your child to pour the hot liquid into the molds.  Again, if you do, you're an idiot.  Safety guys.  Remember that little fingers and little hands are clumbsy...hence the need to teach them early on how to hold a knife. You're enforcing safety in the kitchen, and hopefully it's a habit they'll get into permanently. 

Voila! Big sister Meg and little sister Maddie enjoy Maddie's creation.