Baked Papaya with Lamb and Cheese

I have so many different recipes and meal ideas lined up that it is very seldom for me to make the same dish twice, unless it made it to the list of my absolute favorites. This one tops that list.

There is something absolutely magical about pairing the sweetness of the fruit with the distinct taste of the lamb, and even though some people find the combination little "unusual" at first, it really only takes that first bite to fully fall in love with the dish.


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb Ground Lamb
1 cup mushrooms - chopped into smaller pieces
1 onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
4 tbs fresh thyme


3 tbs tomato paste
1 16 oz can diced tomatoes

2 Mexican papayas (they are the ones that are about 12 + inches long)
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese


PREPARATION:

1. In a saucepan, saute onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme for about 3-4 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned. Drain the juice.

2. Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for additional 1 minute. Set aside.

3. Prepare papayas by cutting them lengthwise into 2 halves. Scoop the seeds out. You will need deeper hole in the middle to be filled with the meat mixture, so you might need to scoop some of the pulp out as well.

4. Fill papayas with meat mixture, place into a baking dish. Fill the dish with boiling water - you want the water level to reach at least 1.5 inches.

5. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and put back to the oven until the cheese had melted.

Makes 4 servings.

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I really like the versatility of this dish. You can add, take away or adjust the ingredients to your liking. For example if you fancy spicier filling, dash of chili powder, cayenne pepper or 1 small jalapeno pepper will do the trick. If you're not a mushroom fan, simple leave them out. The dish goes the best with lamb but if lamb is not your favorite meat, use beef, veal, or even chicken instead.

Enjoy your meal!

or as we say back at my home country of Czech Republic

Dobrou Chut!

Godly Onions

This recipe is a must try for all onion lovers. The flavors of the onions delicately combined with the wine and capers will surely satisfy even the biggest gourmets. You can serve it as a classic with livers but they also can be deliciously paired with chicken or chickpeas as vegetarian alternative.

1 Tbs Olive Oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon coriander powder
4 Tbs of capers

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine

Heat oil in a cast iron or any other heavy pan. Add the onions, garlic, lemon zest, coriander and olives. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and wine. Cook for another minute.

Millet with Mushrooms and Thyme

Millet is a gluten-free grain commonly used in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. It is also popular through Western India, Russia and China where it's eaten either sweet with milk and sugar or savory accompanied with meat or vegetables.

Millet is rich in B vitamins, especially niacin, B6 and folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. It contains about 11% of protein by weight.


MILLET WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME

1 cup millet
2.5 cups water or stock (any kind)

1 large onion - chopped
2 cups mushrooms - sliced (if you love them as much as I do, feel free to use more)
4-6 Tbs Fresh Thyme
2 Tbs Olive Oil
Tamari or Soy Sauce to taste

1. Place millet in water or stock. Bring to boil, lower the heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Add little bit extra water if needed.

2. Once the millet cooks for about 20 minutes, start preparing the veggies. Heat the oil in non-stick pan. Add onions, mushrooms, and thyme. Saute until the vegetables became tender and fragrant.

3. Stir the cooked millet in the vegetables. Add little bit of Tamari or Soy sauce to taste.

This dish beautifully combines the taste and aroma of mushrooms and thyme. It can be used as a main dish accompanied with greens or a side. Will make 4-6 servings.

About me

They say we should eat to live and not live to eat but let's admit it... who doesn't love to eat? I surely do.

This said there is a huge difference between stuffing your mouth with whatever comes under your hands and making conscious food choices. The latter enables you to enjoy great variety of healthy ingredients and combining them into delicious nutritious meals and snacks.

I was lucky to grow up in a family of great cooks. Ever since I was a little girls I admired the skills my parents used to create all the delicious dishes. Naturally I started to miss the unbeatable taste of home made meals soon after I moved out of my parent's place and I that's when I decided to experiment with cooking myself.

At first it was Cook some, Burn some deal... During this trial period I tested many ingredients for heat resistance and I can say with certainty that the only thing you cannot possibly burn is water... however the same does not apply to the pot you're cooking it in.

Practice makes perfect and I am surely glad I did not give up the first time I set off the smoke alarm. Today, about 12 years later, I collected and tried hundreds of recipes. I also created many of my own. And I'm here to share them with you together with bits of information I collected along the way on nutrition, healthy cooking, practical tips and advice.

Hope you enjoy!