I am so excited today because I have a special guest in the house. Please pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee, sit back and relax. I want to tell you about Rebecka who helms At Home with Rebecka out of Colorado. She is a mom, a grandmother, an awesome chef, and also a professional musician. Rebecka is also my friend and one who has given me much support and encouragement in our journey together as fellow bloggers.
Rebecka’s blog is all about family, good food, and fond memories. She shares fantastic recipes alongside family pictures and stories on her blog. She also enjoys competing in cooking competitions and loves singing in the opera. In her post entitled My Opera Journey Photo Album, you will be treated to some amazing pictures of her in various opera roles. She has performed in over 18 professional productions like My Fair Lady, Madame Butterfly, and Die Fledermaus. I wish I could have seen her in those productions. I hope you will visit Rebecka soon. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Since today is Mother’s Day, Rebecka has a treat for us. She is going to share not one, not two, but three delectable recipes with us. In honor of all our mothers she has recreated three of her own mom’s favorite dishes. Without further ado, please welcome Rebecka…
Hi, my name is Rebecka Evans. I was deeply honored when Biren asked me to write this guest post for Mother’s Day. I hope to do her blog justice as I try to live up to her impeccable standards!
I stumbled upon Roti n Rice the first week of my food blogging sojourn. I was wowed by her exceptional blogging techniques, recipes and photography skills. What a pleasure to have Biren be my unwitting teacher these past two years as I’m continually inspired by each new blog post. I can’t imagine my blogging experience without her.
Biren is a treasured fellow blogger. Thank you my friend!
At Home with Rebecka is all about recreating fond food memories, what I like to call “A Culinary Journey of Comfort and Style”. My blog began on a whim and has since turned into a deep love for food blogging, an immense passion for food writing, styling and food photography! I also have to confess, I’ve become a food competitor junkie!
I’ve had the honor of winning a few challenges in my food blogging career. My most recent win, the Real Women of Philadelphia Cookbook Challenge with my Fig Tart with Philly Frangipani and Strawberry Ginger Cream. My photo and recipe will be published in this season’s cookbook alongside recipes from other RWOP winners and Ms. Paula Deen! Yea! I also won $500!
Another proud moment was winning the Marx Foods Mixology Challenge, Recipe Impossible! My recipe Bite My Sweet Tarts-tini really had me thinking outside the box. The competition main ingredient… Szechuan buttons; a potent little flower with a tingly after bite! Please stop by my blog to view these recipes and more.
It’s Mothers Day, and what a perfect opportunity for me to share some delicious food memories with you by recreating three of my mother’s favorite dishes – Oyster Stew, homemade Oyster Crackers and Divinity.
Mom aka Anne, was a masterful home cook. She was always eager to try new and unusual foods, way before they were popular or trendy. Garden to table, her recipes were inventive and delicious. I still remember her fried squash blossoms with a fresh cut garden salad, sweet hand picked cherry tomatoes tossed with tender blue sorrel blossoms and spicy chives, all dressed in sweet vinaigrette. While most of our family and friends were eating TV dinners we were enjoying mom’s culinary adventures.
Mom is retired from the kitchen now, leaving preparation of holiday and big family meals to me and my three brothers. A torch I’m happy to share with future generations.
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Divinity!
Generally classified as a candy, fudge and sometimes used in a candy roll, Divinity is similar to nougat but lighter in texture; a cloud of soft sweetness with a pecan crunch. I guarantee this simply made candy will satisfy your biggest sweet tooth!
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Biren and loyal followers of Roti n Rice, Thank you! It’s been a pleasure sharing my mom’s favorite recipes with you today!
Thank you Rebecka for such a beautiful post and your kind words about me. I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day. I miss my own Mom on this special day as she lives far away, but I got to talk to her over the phone last night. I am happy that I will be seeing her soon.
Wishing you my dear readers, a joyous day filled with love, warmth, and good food! 8)
denise @ singapore shiok says
May 13, 2012 at 2:29 amHi Rebecka – thank you for such a lovely post and for so generously sharing your mother’s wonderful recipes. I have never heard of divinity but as I love nougat, this is definitely something I would love to try making! The recipe that thrills me most though is the one for oyster crackers – never seen one for it and I am thrilled to see it here!
Biren – this is a gorgeous post, and your choice of Rebecka as guest blogger is inspired! Happy Mother’s Day again 🙂
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:52 amYes, it is really generous of Rebecka to share her mom’s recipes. Jeannie said something about divinity being called frangipani. I can’t recall having eaten anything similar in that part of the world. Any thoughts?
Jen says
May 13, 2012 at 4:37 amThis a great post! The food looks fabulous and the pics are brill.:-)
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:52 amThanks Jen! 🙂
Nasifriet says
May 13, 2012 at 4:41 amHi Biren! Lovely post and thanks for sharing Rebecka with us on this auspicious occasion.
Rebecka,thanks for passing the torch and sharing with us your mum’s favourite dishes. The choice of colour – white – is just perfect! Purity, kindness and loyal love 😀
Happy Mother’s Day, Biren!
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:55 amThanks Nasifriet! Rebecka is wonderful – always encouraging and supportive. So glad to feature her here.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Rebecka says
May 13, 2012 at 5:13 amWhat an honor to see my recipes here at Roti n Rice and to meet Biren’s dear followers! Denise, Jen and Nasifriet,I cherish your kind words!
Biren, once again I thank you for allowing me the pleasure of creating a guest post for you this Mother’s Day! To you and yours…♥
Biren says
May 13, 2012 at 9:30 amThank you once again Rebecka for the lovely post and for your generosity in sharing three of your mom’s favorite dishes with us. All three dishes are wonderful! We eat oyster crackers all the time but I never thought of making them myself. Now I can, thanks to you. Also divinity is new to me and it is great to learn about it. Can’t wait to try the oyster stew as well. 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day, my friend!
Hugs…Biren xx
Kristi Rimkus says
May 13, 2012 at 10:29 amThank you for sharing this wonderful guest post with such lovely recipes to choose from for Mother’s Day. I hope you have a wonderful day today. 🙂
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:56 amThanks Kristi for your kind words. I hope you had a wonderful day too. 🙂
Ann@Anncoo Journal says
May 13, 2012 at 10:33 amGreat guest post from Rebecka. Love all the three dishes, look delicious and easy to follow.
Happy Mother’s Day to Biren and Rebecka 🙂
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 9:01 amThanks Ann! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day. So good to see you “active” again. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
May 13, 2012 at 2:29 pmThank you, Rebecka, Biren, for this wonderful post. The stew looks divine! Love those cute oyster crackers too.
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 9:02 amThanks Angie! I love those cute oyster crackers too.
Ramona says
May 13, 2012 at 4:37 pmGreat guest post!! Hope everyone is enjoying a very special mother’s day!! 🙂
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 9:02 amThanks Ramona! I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day too.
Jeannie says
May 13, 2012 at 8:44 pmWhat lovely and delicious looking recipes, I am eyeing your frangipani Rebecka, drooling over it in fact! Great post! Happy Mother’s day to both of you Biren and Rebecka:D albeit a bit late:P
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:48 amDivinity is new to me. I din’t realize they are also known as frangipani. Frangipani sounds vaguely familiar but maybe I am thinking of those white fragrant flowers. Please do refresh my memory…
PolaM says
May 13, 2012 at 11:45 pmMust be delicious! Thanks for introducing us a new blogger!
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:56 amYou are most welcomed Pola. I hope you will visit Rebecka’s blog soon. 🙂
Yui says
May 14, 2012 at 1:41 amThank you Rebecka. I think I need to try the Oyster crackers this weekend. And teh divinity is the one waits in my list. I couldn’t do it now because it’s windy and get little rain here in my country.
About the crackers, how is it taste? More to salty or sweet ones? If it is salty I was thinking to add chicken stuff.
How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
Yui says
May 14, 2012 at 1:47 amOh wait I am back again. In the oyster crackers I need water and yeast. But I don’t see any of these ingredients in the instruction. So, when should I add them in the batch?
Biren says
May 14, 2012 at 12:28 pmHi Yui! Thanks for visiting and commenting. Rebecka has responded to your question. Please read comment No. 15 below. I have also updated the recipe with the missing step.
kitchen flavours says
May 14, 2012 at 6:51 amHi Rebecka,
Great to see you here as Biren’s guest! Great recipes from you as always! Your oyster stew looks so delicious, I would gladly finish every drop!! The oyster crackers and divinity are something new to me, have not heard of these before, they look wonderful! It is really great of you to share your mother’s recipes, they truly are a treasure to hold on to! 🙂
Biren, thank you for this wonderful guest post by Rebecka!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:58 amRebecka is just the best, isn’t she? Love all three recipes and can’t wait to try them.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.
kitchenriffs says
May 14, 2012 at 11:14 amOh, a new blogger to me! And a good one – really nice recipes. I’ve never made homemade Oyster Crackers – now I must! Thanks so much for this, and I’m on my way to check out Rebecka’s blog.
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 9:00 amThanks so much for visiting Rebecka’s blog. I know you will not be disappointed.
Rebecka says
May 14, 2012 at 11:56 amHi Yui, I’m so sorry!! Just when I thought I had it all together for this guest post I leave out a vital step in the recipe!
Missing step: in a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons milk and water, add yeast stir slightly with a wooden spoon. Rest mixture for 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup milk and yeast mixture to dry ingredients and blend until dough forms a ball. If the dough looks dry add another tablespoon cold milk.
This recipe does not require warm water to activate the yeast. The crackers puff only slightly but get a lovely flavor from the yeast. The crackers are savory in flavor but if you prefer a saltier cracker, brush each cracker with egg wash prior to baking and sprinkle with sea salt. You can also add flavor by extending the baking time. This will produce a darker cracker with a nuttier flavor. I prefer the lighter version as it resembles the original version.
Jeannie, The frangipani is absolutely delicious and super easy to make at home. I hope you have the opportunity to make the dessert and share it with your family and friends. It’s beautiful as well as delicious.
Ramona, Kristi, Ann, Angie, PolaM, Joy aka kf, It has been my pleasure to share a few of my mother’s favorite recipes with you all. I am honored by your sweet comments and grinning ear to ear!
Rebecka says
May 14, 2012 at 11:57 amkitchenriffs, Thank you for checking out my blog! I hope you enjoy making the oyster crackers. They are so yummy with any hot soup or stew!
Kitchen Belleicious says
May 14, 2012 at 3:57 pmmy grandmother used to make the best oyster stew. this brings back memories. She also used to make oyster crackers to go along with it! I love your version and hope you had a great mothers day!
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:44 amRebecka’s oyster stew looks really good. I need to try it soon. 🙂
cooking rookie says
May 14, 2012 at 4:03 pmLove those oyster crackers :-).
Biren says
May 15, 2012 at 8:45 amMany are loving those oyster crackers. So generous of Rebecka to share the recipe with us.
Rebecka says
May 15, 2012 at 10:57 amKitchen Belleicious, I love how certain recipes recall memories of friends and family. Most of my food memories are filled with love and joy however, I’ve had a few food moments I’ll need to blog about that weren’t so fond however, very memorable. I hope you try my recipes and let me know how they compare to your grandmother’s.
cooking rookie, thank you for visiting my blog yesterday and leaving your kind comments!
Victoria says
May 17, 2012 at 12:58 pmHappy (belated) Mother’s Day to all! What a great guest post! I think the oyster stew looks absolutely fabulous, and the homemade oyster crackers are the perfect compliment! What a great treat 🙂
Magic of Spice says
May 26, 2012 at 1:32 pmWhat a lovely guest post Rebecka, and such a fantastic stew!
Hope you both had a delightful Mothers Day!