Tasty Tuesdays: Lemon Wedge Jello Shots

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of E is for Eat

I don't know about yall, but all I can think about is the sports week ahead of us here in New Orleans.  It all starts tonight with the Sugar Bowl.  There are tons of Michigan and Virginia Tech fans swarming the city.  I love watching all of the coverage of sporting events hosted here.  The city always looks its very best.  

By this weekend, there will be black and gold as far as the eye can see.  The Saints take on the Lions Saturday  night on prime time in the wild card playoff game.  I spent the evening adding a little black and gold flourish to a gold sequin fedora I plan to wear to the game.  Who dat!!!!

And on Monday, the most hyped rematch in college football history will pair LSU against Alabama.  It'll be a home game for the bayou bengals.  Geaux Tigers!

With all of these visions of tailgates dancing in my head, I could not help but share a clever twist on a tailgating staple - the jello shot.  First of all, the presentation couldn't be cuter, and the thought of turning a traditional lemon jello shot up a notch by using sweet tea vodka or whipped cream vodka is just fantastic!

Lemon Meringue or Arnold Palmer Jello Shots

Use lemon peels as vessels for two delicious lemon jello shot combinations.

Ingredients

6-10 lemons (depending on size)
1 (3 ounce) package of lemon jello (I used sugar free)
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup vodka (use whipped cream vodka for lemon meringue, use sweet tea vodka for Arnold Palmers, or use citrus vodka for classic lemon drops)**
1/4 cup cold water*
*to make stronger shots, use a full cup of vodka and omit the cold water

Instructions

Cut each lemon in half, and carefully juice them without tearing the peel. (Save the juice for another recipe or a marinade).

Hollow out each half, taking care not to puncture the peel. Place the halves in a muffin pan to help keep them stabilized while setting.

Make the jello according to package directions, except in place of the cup of cold water, substitute 3/4 cup of whipped cream vodka (for lemon meringue) or sweet tea vodka (for Arnold Palmers), along with 1/4 cup of cold water. Transfer to something with a pouring spout (such as a liquid measuring cup) to make for easier filling. Fill each lemon half and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Once the jello is completely set, use a sharp knife to slice into wedges and serve.

**(Note: the photos are of the Lemon Meringue flavor. Because of the "tea" color of the sweet tea vodka, the Arnold Palmers will have more of a golden/reddish hue to them).