Challenge Accepted

G’day friends!
About a week ago Cliff and I made our third move since I arrived in oz. So far we had house and dog sat all over the ACT but this time we were looking for a place of our own…. somewhere we could hang things in closets and put things in drawers (the things you yearn for when you’re a rolling stone!). To complicate our rental situation we only really need a place for about 2 months until we head out on our road trip of Australia in March.
After some unsuccessful searching online, the universe responded as it seems to always do and we were offered a flat out back of cliff’s step-sister’s place.

Our backyard flat

And viola! We have our own place!
An amazing place with space and storage, located in an amazing backyard with a pool, backing onto an amazing nature reserve with kangaroos!
And now the not so amazing catch… it has no kitchen.
Well I should explain a bit better, it has a fridge and that’s the only major appliance. No oven, no stove, and for those that know me know that’s a problem.
What it does have is this little beauty:

3 in 1 ‘kitchen’

An oven, stove, microwave and toaster all in one. Mind you, only one function works at a time, so if you’re sauté-ing you can’t be baking and vice-versa.
When I left for this adventure I vowed that with some of my free time I would take the opportunity to work on my culinary skills, but clearly the universe has thrown a bit of a curve ball.
Well universe… challenge accepted!
Last night I met this challenge head on and for dinner I was able to bang out a lovely Chicken Florentine with white wine cream sauce and a potato gratin. This meal was given a review of “maybe my favorite meal you’ve cooked” by the discriminating critic Clifford Bourke.

Chicken Florentine with white wine cream sauce

And I did it all on the little wonder appliance pictured above!
I’m not sure every nights meal will be as luxurious but I know I’ll continue to overcome whatever obstacle I’m thrown.

Until next time friends,
L