Sharing Sunday: At Home with Rebecka

Another week, another fabulous blog. Rebecka is another mama I met via VoiceBoks. What caught me first were her thoughtful posts to other members. I knew I had to check out her site. What a pleasant treat it was! At Home with Rebecka is an incredible collection of recipes and she is currently my inspiration for good lighting and composition with food photography. There is so much to learn about this lovely lady, so read along and don't forget to give her a little visit.


Tell us about you & your blog.


My passion for fine food and the art and joy of sharing it with friends and family is rooted deeply in the memories of cooking in the kitchen with my Mother and enjoying years of business dinners and entertaining business associates with my parents. With a heart full of thanks, I can say that my parents taught me how to entertain guests with grace and how to cook and eat adventurously.


My husband and I have been married for ten years. We are a blended family with 5 children. Blake loves his family and takes very good care of us unfortunately; his favorite condiment is ketchup so trying new recipes in our home is not an easy task. Thus, my outlet for my gourmet cravings is my blog.


I currently live in a small mountain town in Colorado where the sun shines 90 percent of the time and God’s creatures greet us every morning. I love singing opera and have performed in over 18 professional productions in my lifetime.


Music – Food - Family. It’s what makes my heart sing!


How long have you been blogging?


I started food blogging July 14, 2010.


How did your blog get started?


One evening while surfing the internet, I bumped into a food blog written by an old acquaintance. I read through her blog and immediately thought to myself…”I could do this!” I spent several nights researching other food blogs and blog platforms before beginning my site development. About two weeks later I was the proud owner of At Home with Rebecka. I began food blogging with the intent on sharing a few canning recipes and maybe a couple family favorites but now… I can’t stop!!


What started as a whim, 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 won several food and cocktail recipe competitions. 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! I think I’ll use my winnings to have my blog redesigned by a professional.


What are your favorite foods?


I can never decide on a favorite food and I will eat just about anything you put in front of me. I grew up in the South West so my taste buds are always hungry for a green chili, fish tacos and the like. I also enjoy cooking and eating all Asian cuisines and an American favorite: Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Garlic Mash and Soy Green Beans. Foods I don’t like to eat but will cook for others…goat cheese, cooked raisins and lamb!


Favorite restaurants?


I find it difficult to go out for meals. I really like eating out and trying new foods but I’m generally unhappy with the quality of the food and the flavor. Nothing is worse than spending good money for bad food! I’m sure there are hundreds of amazing restaurants in Denver; I just haven’t had the pleasure of dinning at one I can write home about in a very long time.

Favorite recipe?

A Delicious Holiday Appetizer

Goat Cheese and Marmalade Phyllo Pastry Bites

These little Phyllo Bites were also a smash hit at the party. Filled with a mixture of rich Saint Andre` goat cheese, cream cheese and sharp cheddar; the smooth creamy texture of the filling blended with the crunch of the phyllo pastry, the saltiness of prosciutto and the decadent sweetness of my homemade Cots and Quats Marmalade, made them irresistible.
1-7 ounce tub Saint Andre` Goat Cheese
5 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup diced prosciutto
1 egg
1 package phyllo pastry
1 stick melted butter
1-16 ounce jar Cots and Quats Marmalade (orange marmalade)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Remove phyllo from package and place on a cutting board, cover with a clean damp cloth. In a Cuisinart, blend together the cheeses until smooth, salt and pepper to taste.
Cut prosciutto into small dice and sauté in a dry pan until crisp, set aside until ready to use. (if pan becomes to dry add a few drops of olive oil)

Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl for 30-40 seconds, set aside until ready to use
Begin making phyllo shells by placing one sheet of phyllo dough onto a second cutting board or other clean surface, remember to cover the remaining phyllo with damp towel, brush pastry with a thin layer of melted butter, add another layer of phyllo and brush with butter, continue this process until you have 6-8 layers of pastry

Slice phyllo with a very sharp knife into 4 inch squares, gently press 1 square pastry into small muffin tins allowing a small amount of pastry to drape over the edge, bake on the middle rack of oven for 1-2 minutes or until edges become light brown, remove from oven and fill shell with 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture, 1/2 teaspoon crumbled prosciutto and then top with 1/2 teaspoon marmalade, bake for additional 3 minutes, cool and serve.


Favorite childhood memory of food?


I have so many! Here is one of my most recent posts detailing a fun food memory with a twist! “Night Crawler Hunting and Frog Gig-gin!”


On any given summer evening, prior to a weekend fishing trip, you could find my three brothers and me standing in the lush street medians between Wood and Cascade Streets in downtown Colorado Springs. Armed with our flash lights and various worm containers where we would comb through the manure laden soil for a host of plump nightcrawlers. As with any hunter I'd done my research before heading out to capture the elusive nightcrawler!


Favorite food tradition?

SANTA HOT CHOCOLATE: During the Christmas Season my family enjoys a rich and diverse set of traditions and almost all of them involve food! Santa Hot Chocolate is at the top of the list!

 

This recipe is highly classified!! It is the REAL DEAL! This perfect cup of sipping chocolate is served to Santa by his beautiful wife Mrs. Clause, right before he heads out on his sleigh Christmas Eve. Pumped high with adrenaline andcoco flavanols, Santa sets out into the night to deliver toys to good little girls and boys. Santa Hot Chocolate is filled with magic and can turn any Grinch into a cuddly teddy bear!

Now you might ask how I came by this classified recipe....living on a strict diet of candy canes and hot chocolate, let's just say there was one elf at the North Pole that was willing to "share" the recipe for a Big Mac Meal, biggie sized with a giant cup of Coke! It's not pretty, but everyone has their price!!

There is certain etiquette that must be followed when drinking Santa Hot Chocolate...

 

First, you must have the correct size cup and saucer. Above, you'll see my youngest daughters set of sipping cups. Both of my daughters received her own set of sipping cups to carry the tradition onto the next generation, when they were about 10 years old. A time honored right of passage.


Secondly, only a cinnamon stick may be used to stir the chocolate, that's where the magic begins...

Lastly, never gulp or "shoot" the chocolate...it can be very dangerous to someone not accustom to the REAL DEAL!! Sip the chocolate like a fine aged brandy and linger in the moment of Christmas cheer!

Recipe:

2 cups table cream (1/2 & 1/2)
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I use Dove but any good brand will suffice)
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
6-7 sticks cinnamon
pinch sea salt

In a heavy sauce pan heat table cream, 1 cup whipping cream and sugar until sugar is dissolved, add the cocoa powder and whisk until mixed thoroughly, add the chocolate chips and stir until melted, add salt and 2 cinnamon sticks and simmer for 5 minutes.

Make cinnamon cream using remaining 1/2 cup heavy whip cream, blend with a hand mixer till thick add 1/4 stick fresh ground cinnamon and stir

Serve chocolate in sipping cups with a cinnamon stick for stirring, add a small dollop of cinnamon cream and grate fresh cinnamon over the top...

Finally, be prepared for a magical experience!!

Photos courtesy of At Home with Rebecka.