Papaya, Papaya...

I made these recipes a while ago and hadn't gotten the chance to post them yet...but then I made one AGAIN today, and decided I must post it :-)

I found this recipe for Papaya Salsa at one of my favorite blogs, Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. The first time I made it, I added pineapple, and it was lovely - a huuuuuuuge hit with my roommates! This time, mangoes were on sale, so that's what I added! This is also SO good!

(I changed the original recipe a bit here and there :-)

• 3 cups diced fresh papaya (about half of a large papaya)
  
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup or so diced fresh mango
  
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 to 2 limes, juiced
• dash extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Add all ingredients together, stir, and allow to sit for a few minutes for flavors to incorporate. I think I'll make a salsa chicken bake for dinner tonight.....mmmmmm!!!!

Since this recipe only took up half of the big honkin papaya I bought, I made a Stuffed Papaya Bake also.

I took the halved papaya, scooped out the seeds, filled it with ground buffalo cooked with onions, garlic, some tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes, threw in a bit of greens, and sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top. I put the papaya skin side down in a glass baking pan filled with water up to about 1/2 inch from the top of the papaya. I baked this at 350 until the papaya was tender, about 30 minutes. Adapted from http://homecooking.about.com/od/fruitrecipes/r/blfruit58.htm

(You like how my laptop is in the background of the picture, don't you? Classy, I know.)