Main Course Menu Plan: Week 3  Fall I

Day 1: Shrimp (Prawns) with Pesto Pasta

Total time: 25 minutes
   Served warm to bring out the flavors, the pesto works amazingly well with the shrimp, and the, more traditional, pasta.  If you have to clean the shrimp add 10 - 15 minutes.  You can use raw or cooked shrimp for this as the flavor is in the sauce rather than a marinade.

Shrimp (Prawns) with Pesto Pasta  Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Day 2: Roasted Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs

Total time: 65 minutes
    Small, perfectly roasted hens make an elegant presentation and are perfect individual servings (with maybe a snack leftover).  Lemon and herbs under the skin infuse lots of flavors.

Roasted Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Day 3: Pissalidière

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    In the traditional Pissalidière, there are lots and lots of very slow-cooked onions, anchovies and wrinkly oil-cured black olives - with pits.  If you really hate anchovies, leave them off; if you're undecided, this may convince you to like them.  The feta is not traditional, but my addition.  And I prefer to use pitted olives.  I also sped up the cooking of the onions, but, I think, with no appreciable loss of flavor.

Pissalidière Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Day 4: Pork Chops with White Wine and Capers

Total time: 35 minutes
     Boneless pork chops, quickly browned then simmered in a white wine caper sauce.  

Pork Chops with White Wine and Capers Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Day 5:  Stuffed Peppers, Italian Style

Total time: 40 minutes
   I originally did this with a tiny pasta called Frog's Eyes (Acini di'Pepe), but I can't get it here so have substituted couscous.  You can use the pasta if you have it or even Vermicelli, but it will take a few minutes longer in the skillet.

Stuffed Peppers, Italian Style Ingredients:

 Instructions:

Day 6: Baked Chicken Breasts with Mustard Crust  

Total time: 40 minutes
  The key to giving these a crispy crust is to drizzle them with olive oil after breading, before baking.  You could also spray them with olive oil or other cooking spray if you have it.  The crust keeps the chicken moist and the mustard adds an unexpected hint of savory sharpness.

Baked Chicken Breasts with Mustard Crust Ingredients:

 Instructions:

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