papaya

I ran across this deliciousness by accident. I was at my favorite grocery store, Food City when I saw papaya. I decided to give it a try. To pick a ripe papaya, you find one that is soft, but not squishy. And the green skin starts to turn yellow.
I prepared it the same as a cantaloupe. I cut the papaya in half, scooped out the seeds, and then peeled the skin off.
For an incredible treat:

• 2 tbsp honey
• juice of 1 mexican lime

Mix together well and poor over the papaya. It was so good. I would have taken a picture, but it disappeared too fast! 

cinnamon pear jam

I originally made this jam years ago. Someone had given me a bag of pears from their tree. I went off the sure-jell recipe and decided that I should add some cinnamon. Even though the recipes say not to adjust them. I figured a little cinnamon wouldn't hurt anything. This jam does not go with every thing. Peanut butter sandwiches to name one. Do not try it. Anyways, it is one of our favorite jams. I finally got around to making it again. I did some research online and all the recipes I found call for way too much cinnamon in my opinion, and they add vanilla. I prefer to just keep it simple.

the ingredients:

• 4 cups (exactly) finely chopped pears
• lemon juice (I just squirted it over the pears as I diced them & then added 1 tbsp after the pears were all chopped)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 box of sure-jell pectin
• 1/2 tsp butter (decreases foam)
• 5 cups sugar (measured exactly)

Makes 6 cups.

I couldn't find my trusty box of sure-jell, so I had to get the pectin in a jar. Way too expensive for essentially 2 boxes worth!

Prepare your jars and lids as directed. I run them through the sanitize cycle in the dishwasher. I also have the seals in a hot water bath.

• Combine fruit, lemon juice, pectin and butter in a 6-8 quart pot
• bring to a full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly

• quickly stir in sugar
• return to a full rolling boil
• boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly

• remove from heat (I usually just turn off the stove)
• ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of the top. I use a funnel so I don't make a huge mess. Wipe around the top with a clean, moist paper towel and put the lids on. Screw them on tight. 
• I use the inversion method, so then I turn the jars inside down, let them sit for 5 minutes and then turn them back over. After 10 minutes or so, you start hearing the "pops" of the jars sealing them selves. You can process them too if you want to, I think it's 10 minutes. 

the finished product: