Papaya Smoothie

Papayas aren't the normal pantry fare, but in the summer months you'll often find them on sale at the grocery store. Other than slicing them up and eating them, what else can you do with Papayas? Well, you can make smoothies, of course.

Ingredients:

(Recipe from Martha Stewart)

2 1/2 cups papaya

1 cup ice cubes

2/3 cup yogurt

1 Tbs finely chopped fresh ginger (optional)

1 Tbs honey

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

Preparation:

Peel papaya, cut, and remove seeds. Save seeds and set aside.

Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Either serve cold, or store in the freezer for later.

Papaya seeds are edible and taste like something between a caper berry and a peppercorn. You can dry them and use them in place of either ingredient. (or, if you live in a tropical area, you can plant the seeds and grow your own papaya plants).

Make Your Own Ginger Ale

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 - 2 TBS freshly grated ginger root
Juice of one lemon
1/8-1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
7 1/2 cups filtered water

1 clean, empty 2 liter bottle (plastic, not glass)
a funnel
Cheese cloth or mesh strainer

Preparation:

*If you've made candied ginger, you can use the reserved liquid, skipping ahead to Making the Soda.
*Also, before you juice the lemon, go ahead and zest it, saving the lemon zest in plastic wrap and freezing it for future recipes. It will stay good 2-3 months in the freezer.

Making the Syrup:

1. Peel the ginger root and grate it on the finest setting. If you don't have a grater, then chop the peeled ginger root as finely as you can.
2. In a saucepan, combine sugar, ginger root, and 1/2 cup of the water over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to steep for about an hour.
3. When cooled, strain the syrup through a fine mesh or cheese cloth to remove the ginger bits.

Making the Soda:

1. Using the funnel, add the syrup to the clean 2 litre bottle.
2. Add lemon juice, yeast, and remaining water.
3. Cap the bottle and shake it gently to mix the ingredients.
4. Allow the bottle to sit out at room temperature for 48 hours. 
5. At the two-day mark, check to make sure the Ginger ale has reached the desired carbonation, then refrigerate. Open the bottle each day to ensure excess carbonation is released. 
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.