Meals we had at Springfield Lakes – Queensland.

Now over the last few years of not meeting one of my dearest friends, Sandi Dai, she seems to have suddenly acquired a  passion for cooking. And we are not talking cooking baby food, it seems the woman now is quite a gourmand in her own right. 

We had such a lot of different foods, and we’re talking about a woman was such a ladida darling in real life that entering a kitchen would have been beneath her Royal Ladidaness. This has changed thanks to kids. Now don’t you love kids, they just have a way of bringing you down a pedestal or two? But nevertheless, she would be going on about making this and that and this thatsed so good, and the kids loved it and everyone loved that. I was quiet and reserved most times listening and taking things in nice and gently. 

Well I was in for a shock, and the thing is she was so confident of her new found talent she actually challenged me.  I just thought to my self well, we’ll see how good you are Sandi Dai!!!

Well from the photos you will see, I had to keep my thoughts to my self all through our stay there because Sandi with her new ally Dan, just conjured up wonder after wonder out of her kitchen. And I might add she had a complete kitchen with everything needed as well. 

Eggs Benedict was one. She did keep saying on and on about making us Eggs Benedict but I just hushed it off by saying I was not hungry and silly excuses till Dan got in the picture and said, “Yes, I would like Eggs Benedict”.

I pretended to say it was too heavy for me and all that jazz that most of my friends are quite used too, anyhow, in the end I felt like a Bloody Idiot!  Her Eggs Benedict together with Hollandaise Sauce was just too good.  And because I chose not to eat I had to settle for half an Egg Benedict on half a slice of bread.  The photos show you how rich it was in color and taste.  It was awesome!  Coupled with the Silverbeet, it was simply out of this world, just enough Carbs, Protein and Vegetables.  The Hollandaise Sauce was truly and simply RICH! I actually wanted more. I wanted to take the whole piece from Dan’s plate, but shame set in.

We even had Bread and Butter Pudding with light lashings of Brandy.  That was thoroughly what the doctor ordered. We used up the left over French baguette, and left it to soak overnight.  This was one of the things I prepared actually. 

Enough said.

Her next endeavor Cheese Fondue and Artichoke Dip.  This was Dan’s idea as he has a cheese fetish so to speak.  Constantly complaining how his figure has gone awry over this holiday, this was going to be one of these days.  This time Dan and I had to go and get the groceries, there was five on the list but when we went to Coles that day, it became like a Food Disneyland for Dan.  He just wanted to try everything, from chocolate, biscuits, cheeses, pates, twisties, you just name it he had it in the cart. I guess I was no help in this matter as well.  So the five items ended up being close to 20 odd items and 2 hours later, after circling Springfield numerous times because someone did not want to listen to directions we got home.

Then Sandi and Dan got into action, I did the little things of course while keeping an eye on the two “novices”,  I did all the stirring and cutting up of things. Little things you know so I could at least say I contributed to this fiasco waiting to happen.  Then.. right before my eyes, once everything was laden out on the table, I had to eat my words.  The Artichoke Dip was divine, the fondue was just as divine.  I had a sensitive tongue that day, or so that was my excuse for not eating too much , but indeed had I not had my tongue being superbly sensitive I would have eaten more. Needless to say, our guests and Dan finished everything. 

On our final night, once again Dan got into the picture with Dan over what was to be made that day. It seems like no one asks me anything these days. So I sulked and went on to type my blogs while the Two rather not Novice Chefs went about preparing an array of dips and accompaniments. The result!

Some of the dips were bought but most of them were made by Sandi and Dan, and bought versus home made clearly saw the latter way ahead of the bought products.  We had Blue Cheese Dip, Guacamole, Hommus, a Basil and Pinenut Dip, 2 types of Pate’s, Smoked Salmon and also all the different Crackers and Vegetables to go with it. Truly a divine array of colors placed on the table on the deck outside and we ate away with music playing in the background.

And finally what was the other thing I prepared??

Shocking eh? But it was not my fault, I just had to keep an eye on  those two, that I forgot my own work!