Weekly Menu - Week 5

I had never dyed eggs (with artificial tablets, that is) until this year. We do celebrate Easter in France: we have chocolate eggs, sugar eggs, chocolate hens and chocolate bells... but no lapins en chocolat!

My daughter dyed eggs in school with the help of one of her friend's mother who had offered to talk about Easter. My daughter was so proud of her egg that she could not stop touching it... and il arriva ce qu'il devait arriver: she let her egg dropped on the garage floor! Catastrophe! I managed to avoid a complete meltdown by offering to make some at home. We went straight to the local pharmacy to purchase a kit (Note for my French readers, an American pharmacy looks like a mix between an épicerie and a droguerie that carries a limited amount of basic food (eggs, milk orange juice, soda, nuts, cereals, pasta, coffee, tea, etc..) together with basic things for the home and body (shampoos, cleaning supplies, etc..) Yes, it does carry drugs (over-the-counter) and there is a small desk for prescriptions; I could write more about American pharmacy but that's for another post!!). 

We also purchased white eggs there and were able to dye eggs at home that same evening. Ouf! Both my children were thrilled! I did not know what to do with the dyed hard boiled eggs but my American friends told me that we could eat them! Parfait! That's why I included one recipe with hard boiled eggs for Monday evening. I also tried to avoid to have any chocolate-based dessert this week as I am sure most of you would have more than plenty! Bonne Cuisine!

Weekly Menu - Week 5

	Day	Suggested Menu
	Monday	Green Beans Salad with Tomatoes, eggs and chickpeas Apple Blackberry Crumble
	Tuesday	Chicken with Mushrooms, Peas and Basmati Rice Homemade Plain Yogurt with Chestnut Spread Fresh Fruits
	Wednesday	Pesto Breaded White Fish Filets with Coleslaw Homemade Plain Yogurt with honey Fresh Fruits
	Thursday	Spinach Veloute with bread and cheese Orange Salad with Star Anise
	Friday	Kale Chips Swiss Cheese Souffle with green salad Homemade Plain Yogurt with dark brown sugar Fresh Fruits

 

Game Plan:

Sunday Evening:

• If you are not too tired after the Holiday, you could start making the Apple Blackberry crumble for Monday night.
• You also want to make sure you have hard boiled eggs ... but this should not be an issue!
• If you want to use dry chickpeas for the salad, don't forget to set them to soak on Sunday.
• If you are making your own yogurts, make a batch for the week.

Monday Evening:

• If you have not made the Apple Crumbles on Sunday evening, you have to make the crumbles and the salad.
• Start by making the crumble piece of the crumble so that you can set it aside for a few minutes while you peal the apples.
• If you have no hard boiled eggs leftover from Easter, boil them as you prepare the crumble.

Tuesday Evening:

• You have to make the chicken dish... and since it's not fresh peas season yet, it will take less than 20 minutes to cook. Don't forget that Basmati rice cooks faster than long grain white rice.

Wednesday Evening:

• You have to prepare the breaded fish filets and cook them. They take less than 20 minutes to make. 
• While the fish filets are baking in the oven, prepare the coleslaw.
• If you are feeling zealous, you could either make the Spinach Veloute or/and the Orange salad for Thursday evening. If you have to choose one, make the orange salad. If you want to make an easier version of the Orange salad, just use honey instead of the star anise syrup.

Thursday Evening:

• You have to make the Spinach veloute and the orange salad. Start with the Spinach veloute. 
• As the veloute cooks on the stove, prepare the salad. 
• If you want to make an easier version of the Orange salad, just use honey instead of the star anise syrup.

Friday Evening:

• It's Friday, relax! Don't be afraid of the souffle, it's relatively easy to make.
• Start by making the Kale chips : it will pre-heat your oven for the souffle and it will give you something healthy to munch on while the souffle is in the oven.