Any travel through this CoVid time is a challenge, but we had decided that we did need a break but we would need to stay within our home state of Queensland. At Easter we usually are able to take the Thursday before and the Tuesday after Easter to create a nice 6 day break.
For this trip we chose Rockhampton as it had been a long time since either of us had been in the area. A quick “Google” showed lots to do and see, but on further investigation I could not find any suitable accommodation.
I knew Yeppoon is the beachside locale of Rockhampton so decided to look there… Still not a lot available but I knew Easter would be a very busy time. I finally found “Salt Yeppoon Apartments“, a newish resort right on the oceanfront. It promised that every room has an ocean view. A few clicks and we were booked in a 1 bedroom apartment for 5 nights.
You can read all about our holiday on my travel blog here…
Although in Queensland, we have been lucky to not have had the heavy lockdowns of some places, hubby and I have not been go out as much as usual. This weekend though I felt like a “Cafe” breakfast and a Picnic lunch 🙂 Rather than going out, we decided to look at what we already had. My usual go to menu item in Eggs Benedict. It really is quite easy to prepare. A slice of sourdough bread, spinach, ham and a poached egg. In a bowl, cup or small jug, microwave the butter until melted You may remember that last Friday, I made the decision to create a restaurant style meal each Friday night. I had the week to think about it and ponder over what was in the fridge and freezer. This what I came up with. Salmon Wellington with Lemon Butter Green Beans and Carrots Would I make it again? Yes…. but. The pastry did go a little soggy, so if I was do it again, I would place baby spinach leaves on the pastry to try and combat some of the moisture. It would have been nice with some flaked almonds added to the vegetables too. Overall though, it was a success. Have you seen my “Getting $#!T Done” course yet? One area of life is, of course, “Romance / Significant Other” I have rated this area of my life as a good solid 8 🙂 Nobody is perfect and I don’t know that anybody should actually rate their relationship as a 10. Let’s face it there is always more to do and some little thing that we are not 100% happy with about our partners (or ourselves). When I was going through my monthly plan and trying to decide how I could level up this area, I thought one thing we enjoy doing is eating out. We choose not to spend $100+ very often on a restaurant meal, but we are both capable home cooks and can replicate a restaurant style dish without too much stress. Anyway, I digress 🙂 In my never ending quest to become a princess and be wined and dined by my prince I decided that , as I work from home every Friday, I would look through a few menus and have a “fancy dinner” on Friday nights. I will not shop specifically for this meal, but rather use the menu as inspiration to use what I have in the fridge, freezer and pantry. This weeks menu came from a lovely restaurant not far from us. See Restaraunt in Mooloolaba Scrolling through their menu, this dish caught my eye…. The “bacon and green pea medley” is a side dish I often make for guests.. (a similar recipe is here) For the honey carrot puree, I sauteed a small chopped onion in a drizzle of olive oil until soft but not coloured. to that I added two medium carrots chopped into rounds, and covered with water, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of chicken stock. Simmer this until the water is mostly gone. Be careful, you don’t want it to boil dry. To serve, mash or puree the carrots ( I used a stick blender) and spread onto a plate in an attractive pool. Nestle the chicken in the puree and surround with the peas. Gently spoon over the sauce from the chicken being careful not to “drown” it As I am a TERRIBLE food blogger, I forgot to take pictures 🙁 Hubby declared the meal a success, and I felt I had boosted my “relationship score” a point or so – at least for the night 🙂 I wonder what I will find next Friday?? Not my picture of chicken 🙂
Eating “Out”
To finish it off, I have a great “cheats” hollandaise sauce that I found years ago on a website.
Mix in mayonnaise, lemon juice and mustard and heat until warm.
Whisk until smooth. and add in salt and pepper to taste.
Making “Budget” Food High Class
. One restaurant has “Italian Lemon Chicken with Garlic Beans” I have had this dish before and it is nice so when I pulled some chicken Maryland pieces out of the freezer for dinner, I thought that is what I will make.</p><p>The other appeal of a meal out is the beauty of the meal on the plate. We all eat with our eyes first and it does make a difference to the most basic of meals if you take just a little time to present it on a plate with care.<img class=)
Friday Night “Eat In”
A Restaurant Style Meal
I ask because, part of the challenge is to audit your life in every area and slowly level each area up to a “10”
I have actually only been there once, and it was with a group of girlfriends for a special lunch.
It is on my list of places to go with hubby, but is is a stretch on the budget.
(A couple would do well to walk out spending under $100 after meals and a couple of drinks)
Confit Duck, Spec and Green Pea Medley, Honey Carrot Puree
Taste for the Chicken and made it with a small half bird from the freezer.
In my dish I used frozen peas, green shallots and snow peas and fresh beans all cut into small pieces about the same size as the peas.
