Weekly Menu - Week 12

This Sunday is Mothers' Day in France. Don't ask me why Mothers' Day does not fall on the same Sunday around the world... but I suspect that every country tries to make it as convenient profitable as possible for retailers. This week-end is Memorial Day week-end in the US (a long week-end for my non-US readers): it would not have been smart to double it as Mothers' Day since most retailers are running large sales for Memorial Day. It was more profitable to have Mothers' Day fall early May when nothing else was happening. At least, that's my opinion.
As in the US, la Fête des Mères has become a very commercial event in France. And like in the US, it drives me nuts. I don't care about Mothers' Day. There. I said it. It feels artificial to me. Besides, I personally think that all mothers would be better off to have their spouse and children help out a little bit on a daily basis than just once in May! And it's not because my daughter prepared a gift for me in school that it will make me like Mothers' Day better. Of course, I am very proud of the pink bracelet my daughter made from scratch in school (they made the beads and painted them). The bracelet is actually something I can wear even though she warned me that "c'est très fragile". This year, she even managed to keep the secret until the actual US Mothers' Day! Last year, she had told me "it's a secret but it's a bookmark!' Just to see her so excited about making the gift, keeping the secret and bringing it home is what makes me happy!
With her English teacher, they had made a booklet where they had to complete sentences and draw something accordingly: My mom and I read....; my mom and I watch....etc.  The page I like best? "My mom and I eat.... EVERYTHING!". That's true! Of course, there are things my children like more than others... but overall, both of them are really good eaters. And that's a daily invaluable gift! Bonne Cuisine!

Weekly Menu - Week 12

	Day	Suggested Menu
	Monday	Moussaka with green salad Homemade Plain Yogurt with Chestnut Spread Fresh Fruits
	Tuesday	Cucumber Salad with Fresh Mint, Mustard and yogurt dressing Vegetable Casserole with Cranberry Beans Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis
	Wednesday	Brussels Sprouts with Gougères Homemade Plain Yogurt with honey Fresh Fruits
	Thursday	Shrimp with Saffron Rice Apple Mango Speculos Crumble
	Friday	Spaghetti Squashotto with green Salad Homemade Plain Yogurt with dark brown sugar Fresh Fruits

Game Plan:

Sunday Evening:

• Make the Moussaka on Sunday evening. If you don't want to make it with lamb, you could well use buffalo or beef instead.
• If you are making your own yogurt, make your weekly batch on Sunday evening. 

Monday Evening:

• You only have to re-heat the Moussaka.
• Make the Panna Cotta on Monday evening. They taste better if they have been cooled for a long time.

Tuesday Evening:

• You have to make the cucumber salad and the vegetable casserole.
• Start with the casserole as you have to shell the cranberry beans and the other vegetables. While they cook, make the cucumber salad.
• If you have not made the Panna Cotta, you won't have enough time to make them for Tuesday evening. You could switch desserts and make them for Wednesday!

Wednesday Evening:

• You have to make the Brussels Sprouts and the Gougeres.
• Start by making the gougeres. You could pre-cook the Brussels sprouts in a pan on the stove and transfer them in the oven after the Gougeres are done. Alternatively, you could bake both the gougeres and the Brussels Sprouts at the same time: put the gougeres on the top rack and the Brussels Sprouts on the lower rack. When the Gougeres are done, place the Brussels Sprouts on the upper rack for extra browning.

Thursday Evening:

• You have to make both the Shrimp and Saffron Rice and the Crumble.
• Start by making the crumble dough. While it refrigerates, prepare the filling. 
• While the Crumble is baking in the oven, make the shrimp and Saffron rice, starting with cooking the rice.

Friday Evening:

• It's Friday! Enjoy! 
• You only have to make the Spaghetti Squashotto which takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Pre-cook your Spaghetti Squash in the microwave. It will save you time.