Homemade Blueberry Swirl ‘No Churn’ Ice Cream

Posted on March 22, 2019 by Linda Spiker

Hey friends! I have a gorgeous treat for you today: Homemade Blueberry Swirl ‘No Churn’ Ice Cream. Now before you throw your hands up and say “I ain’t got no time for that!” I think you must have missed the key words… “No Churn” y’all! That’s right, you do not need a machine to make this smooth, rich, creamy ice cream.
(This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales while your price remains the same.)

So, “How Does No Churn” Work?

It’s so simple it’s almost crazy. Why did anyone ever think we needed an ice cream maker to make ice cream? Believe it or not, you simply beat together heavy whipping cream, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk until peaks form, like soft whipped cream. Then pour into a container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

But What About That Berry Swirl?

The swirl is everything! Simply simmer blueberries, a little sugar and lemon juice to make a simple blueberry syrup. Then you swirl it through the cream. Can you even believe how pretty this is?

The Secret Ingredient: Creme Fraiche

You don’t need creme fraiche to make this ice cream amazing. It would be amazing without it. But creme fraiche adds an tantalizing tang to this creamy dessert. So I will suggest it, but you can make up your own mind (but do it ok?)

The Recipe: Blueberry Swirl ‘No Churn’ Ice Cream!

What you need: a good quality sauce pan, organic sweetened condensed milk, a freezer safe container with lid and an ice cream scoop! I LOVE my heart shaped bowls!

5 from 13 votes

Blueberry Swirl No Churn Ice Cream

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

An incredibly delicious ice cream made without a machine!

Course: Dessert

Keyword: easy dessert recipe, ice cream, no churn ice cream

Servings: 3 pints

Author: Linda Spiker

Ingredients

juice of one lemon
1/4 cup organic granulated sugar
1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, thawed)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
14 ounces cold organic sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces creme fraiche (if you can't find it you can sub with sour cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

In a small sauce pan heat juice lemon, sugar and blueberries until simmering, stir frequently
Use a spatula or potato masher to smash berries as they cook, simmering for five minutes or so, until the sauce has a syrupy consistency. Place syrup in a jar and place in the fridge until cool. Go do something else like laundry or Facebook while it cools.
When berry syrup is cooled, pour whipping cream and vanilla into a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until soft peaks form (usually 3 minutes or so)
Add creme fraiche (if using) and sweetened condensed milk, beat again until soft peaks form (1-2 minutes)
Fold cooled blueberry syrup into mixture by hand, swirling it in but being careful not to over mix or you will just have purple ice cream
Pour into a container, seal and freeze for at least four hours
Enjoy! Stays good in freezer for six weeks

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One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Linda Spiker

We spent this week cozied up in our little cabin in Sundance, Utah. The snow was halfway up the house and the temperatures hovered right around 20 degrees. These circumstances call for for some healthy comfort food, for sure, and what’s more comforting than One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables?
(This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)

Let’s Talk About Braising…

Braising is a cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first sautéed or seared at a high temperature, then finished in a covered pot or pan at a lower temperature while simmering in liquid. Braising gives you the best of both worlds, beautifully browned meat and veggies that are also tender and flavorful from being simmered in broth and wine which forms a beautiful sauce!

Making This Recipe Gluten or Grain Free:

This recipe does call for 2 teaspoons flour. To make this recipe gluten free, use your favorite gluten free flour. I recommend Jovial Gluten Free Pastry Flour for GF cooking. To make this recipe grain free, I use cassava flour. It works very well!

Fancier Than Your Usual Meat and Potato Meal…

I love the idea of serving this elegant meat and potato meal for colder weather dinner parties. Just keep in mind that when it comes to braising you shouldn’t go “too big”. Instead of doubling or tripling this recipe and cooking in a really large pan, I like to make 2-3 recipes at the same time but in 2-3 separate pans. It just seems to work out better, at least for me.

The Recipe: One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables

Tips and what you need: I make this braised chicken in a 12″ cast iron skillet with lid, but you can also use a Dutch oven. As always you need a good knife. To make this recipe gluten free, I recommend Jovial Gluten Free Pastry Flour.. To make this recipe grain free, I use cassava flour.

5 from 16 votes

One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Made in one pan, this rich, savory dinner takes about 30 minutes to make! To make this recipe gluten free, use your favorite gluten free flour. To make grain free use cassava flour. Note: my husband loves cauliflower, so on occasion I will steam some and toss it in (as pictured) this is optional but I didn't include it in the recipe.

Course: dinner

Keyword: braised chicken, chicken dinner, dairy free, gluten free, grain-free

Servings: 2 servings

Author: Linda Spiker

Ingredients

10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into three strips
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 organic yellow or white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 ounces yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges (1/2 thick)
6 medium sized carrots, peeled and cut into 3" pieces
3 teaspoons flour (of your choice, recommendations in blog post above)
2/3 cup white wine
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Prep and cook chicken

Sprinkle chicken strips generously with paprika, sea salt and pepper. Heat skillet on high heat for 60 seconds, when hot add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan) Allow oil 30 seconds to heat.
Add chicken strips to pan, cooking 4 minutes a side or until golden brown but not cooked through. While chicken cooks, prep vegetables:
Peel and cut onion, potatoes and carrots. When chicken is golden but not cooked through, set on a plate and set aside.
If needed add more oil to pan, turn heat to medium, add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 10-12 minutes, until veggies begin to soften and edges turn golden.
Add flour and stir for one minute. Then add wine, broth and chicken. Turn heat up and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, turn heat down (low but still simmering), cover and cook for 10-12 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and veggies are soft enough to easily poke with a fork but still a little firm. While chicken is cooking, prepare thyme and parsley.
Add thyme to pan a few minutes before chicken is done.
remove from heat, garnish with parsley, serve.

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Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer

Posted on December 22, 2018 by Linda Spiker

I have decided to save America’s livers, one “mocktail” at a time. That’s right, you can enjoy your holiday parties, wake up the next morning feeling great and look festive while doing it thanks to this Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer!
(This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)

Let’s Muddle Things Up!

This drink is a favorite anytime we want something a little more celebratory than plain old water. To make it you’ll need a muddle. A muddle is a bartenders tool used to crush ingredients, in this case, limes.

SIMPLE SYRUP OR NATURALLY SUGAR FREE STEVIA OPTION:

You can sweeten this drink with a simple syrup made ahead of time, or with liquid Stevia drops. It’s fantastically delicious both ways!

The Recipe: Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer

Tips and what you’ll need: When we serve this for parties we set out lime wedges and lime halves, a hand held juicer, a muddle, simple syrup and Stevia drops along with a recipe card with instructions so our guests can make their own spritzer. I prefer to use Pellegrino sparkling water because of it’s alkaline ph balance. Find my Lemon Basil Spritzer here.

5 from 6 votes

Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer

Prep Time

5 mins

A simple mocktail with a simple syrup or low carb stevia sweetened option. If making the simple syrup, be sure to make it at least an hour ahead of time so it has time to cool and then refrigerate. When having a party, we set out all the prepped ingredients with a recipe card so guests can make their own spritzers.

Course: drink

Keyword: holidaydrink, mocktail, nonalcoholic, spritzer

Servings: 1 erving

Author: Linda Spiker

Ingredients

If Making Simple Syrup:
1 cup organic granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons simple syrup OR 3-4 drops liquid stevia
2 lime wedges
2 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon pomegranate juice
3/4 cup ice cold sparkling water (I like Pellegrino)
ice

Instructions

If using simple syrup, make ahead of time and allow to cool: place water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil, lower and simmer for 6 minutes. Allow to cool. If using liquid stevia, skip this step
To make drink: place 2 lime wedges in bottom of glass, muddle (this means smash with your muddling tool)
Add lime juice, pomegranate juice and either simple syrup or stevia drops, and muddle more. Then pour sparkling water into glass.
If desired, add ice, pomegranate seeds or an additional lime wedge to edge of glass. Serve.

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Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken ~ For Any Day or The Holidays!

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Linda Spiker

Whether you are making Sunday dinner or celebrating the holidays, roast chicken is one of the best ways to go. Savory deliciousness at it’s best, and the house will smell absolutely heavenly while that bird is roasting. This is The Organic Kitchen’s Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken ~ For Any Day or The Holidays!
(This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)

The Herbed Butter:

To make this citrus herbed butter I simply mix butter (or ghee) from grass fed cows with orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, rosemary, sea salt and pepper.

Then I gently separate the skin from the breast meat and place half the herbed butter under the skin. I melt the remaining butter and brush it on the skin for a tender, moist, flavorful roast chicken.

Those Onions Though…

This beautiful bird is surrounded by sweet red onions that caramelize while cooking, and when spooned over that crispy roasted chicken this meal is over the top!

Serve with Cranberry Sauce for The Holidays!

To dress this chicken up for the holidays, serve with my Five Minute Cranberry Sauce.

If You Are Nervous About Roasting a Chicken…

Don’t be, It’s actually easy and I answer many questions you may have in my tutorial “Everything you Want to Know About Roasting a Chicken”.

The Recipe: Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken ~ Any Day or Holidays!

Tips and what you need: a roasting pan, sea salt (I buy the huge tub to save money), and a good knife. Now, after creating a roasted chicken masterpiece you don’t want to rip it to shreds. Watch this video tutorial to learn to carve a chicken the proper way.

5 from 15 votes

Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

A delicious, tender, savory roast chicken that is perfect for any day and the holidays!

Course: dinner

Keyword: dinner, holiday, Paleo, roast chicken, whole30

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Linda Spiker

Ingredients

1 4 1/2-5 pound organic roasting chicken
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (or ghee) room temperature
6 sprigs fresh thyme, 4 left whole, three stripped of leaves and chopped
4 sprigs rosemary, 3 left whole, 1 stripped of leaves and finely chopped
1 lemon, zested then quartered
zest of half an orange
1 teaspoon coarse or flaked sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, peeled, cut in half, then quarter each half

Instructions

Remove chicken from refrigerator, rinse inside and out with warm water, pat dry with paper towels. For best results allow to come to room temperature on counter (about an hour)
While chicken comes to room temp prepare herbed butter:
Zest 1/2 an orange and 1 lemon, place zest in small bowl. Quarter the lemon and set aside. Use a fork to mash soft butter with chopped herbs, lemon zest, orange zest, sea salt and pepper. .
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, Place oven rack in lower third of oven
Place 3 thyme sprigs, 3 rosemary sprigs, and lemon slices into cavity of the chicken. Gently use fingers to separate skin from the meat of the chicken breast being careful not to rip skin. Use your fingers to place half the herb butter mixture under the skin. To get the herbed butter all the way to the top of the breast you can rub the outside of the skin in an upward motion pushing the butter toward the neck
If you have a small wire rack for the bottom of your roasting pan, place it in the pan and set the chicken on top of rack, breast side up. If you don't have a rack, that's fine, just set the chicken in the roasting pan, breast side up (I didn't use a rack and mine was delish, so no worries)
Melt the remaining herbed butter and brush onto chicken, front, back, legs and wings. Tuck wings behind the back of the chicken and try legs together with trussing string. Add onions to pan around the chicken
Place roasting pan into oven and cook for 1 hour turning the pan a half rotation halfway through cooking time (30 minutes:). After chicken has cooked for one hour start basting chicken every few minutes for another 15 minutes (Please note: ovens are very different, cooking time may vary. Thigh juices should run clear and internal temperature should read 165 degrees. If you want to take the guess work out of it, use a meat thermometer)
Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to "rest" for ten minutes before carving. Spoon onions and juices over chicken, serve.

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Post tags: gluten free, wedding, holiday, dessert

Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

Posted on November 6, 2018 by Linda Spiker

Happy November! The holidays are upon us, as usual my mind is blown at how fast the year went by. If you are in charge of the salad for this year’s festivities, I’ve got a brilliant one for you: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!
(This post contains affiliate links. I may make a commission off sales but your price remains the same.)

But Before We Get To The Recipe…..I Want To Give You Sneak Peek at the Remodel of Our Sundance Cabin!

Ten years ago we bought a little cabin in the woods of Sundance Utah. It had good bones, but it was…how shall I say…in need of some help. In fact, it was pretty much…orange! The ceiling, the walls, the floor, were all wood and all of that wood was stained a 1970’s orange. And if that weren’t enough, the cabinetry that wasn’t stained orange, was painted black, making a small space feel even smaller.

But it was nestled among tall pin trees…

…and sat on a beautiful stream. So we bought it!

We Lived with “The Orange” for Ten Years…

The previous owners lived across the country and basically sold us the cabin as is, with all the furniture, dishes, art, towels, etc.. still there. It was very charming, but felt dark, closed in and was definitely not our style. When my husband retired this last January, we knew we would be spending more time in Sundance to be near our children and grandchildren and decided to make the space our own. And that is when we called Alice Lane Home to help us with the remodel. We live in LA and not only needed the decorating advice but someone dependable to oversee the project and refer us to good contractors and craftsmen.

Enter Suzanne…

After talking about what we wanted and needed, Jess, the owner of Alice Lane paired us up with interior designer Suzanne Hall (or the fabulous decor babe, as I like to call her). She was a dream to work with. She took our tiny black and orange cabin and made it light and airy, opened up our dark little kitchen, and created the most beautiful bathroom, all while having to work around some less than desirable existing features, and our budget.

So Many Changes, But It Kept That “Sundance” Vibe

Our cabin is an authentic “Lincoln log” cabin, meaning it is constructed of real logs that have notches cut near the ends of each log so they can be stacked at the corners to form rooms. We wanted the ‘modern mountain home’ look without losing any of the original integrity or that magical “Sundance” feel. We LOVE the result and I think you’ll be fascinated to see just what a difference was achieved!

The Best part of This Makeover?

Is that Suzanne and the Alice Lane team made sure the cabin remained family friendly. We have a lot of kids and seven grandchildren (so far) that come to play often and have sleepovers, we don’t have to worry about destruction. Noise? Yes. Destruction, no. Every fabric, rug, surface, in the house is sticky little hands friendly! To see the complete remodel and details of the modern mountain look, click here!
Find Alice Lane Home and Alice Lane Interiors on Instagram.

Now For The Salad: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

A fabulous salad makes every meal more special, whether it’s dinner for the family or a celebration. And this salad is festive in both color and taste.

Simple But Extraordinary!

Color, color, color! Green, orange, purple, white, and and red come together in the most lovely and tasty way.

…sweet roasted butternut squash, creamy feta, tart pom seeds, fragrant onion, and salty pecans, all placed on a bed of baby greens…

…then drizzled with a homemade, vibrant pink pomegranate vinaigrette! Truly one of my favorite fall salads.

What to Serve It With:

Whether served alone, or as part of a meal, this salad is fabulous. I love it alongside a good steak, or sometimes, I will toss in some rotisserie chicken for a simple, complete meal. But it’s also beautiful served alongside your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.

The Recipe: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

Tips and what you need: ovens are notoriously inconsistent, your oven may roast your butternut squash quicker or slower than mine. So keep an eye on it and remove when BNS is soft and edges are browned. Many stores have pre-peeled and cut butternut, make sure it’s super fresh or it won’t roast up well, you also may need to cut it smaller. If peeling and cutting your own squash, click here. You will need a rimmed cookie sheet, parchment paper.

5 from 18 votes

Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

A festive, delicious, salad for fall and your holiday table!

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Linda Spiker

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes (Store bought is fine but you may have to cut it smaller)
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
sea salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz baby greens
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 of one red onion, peeled and sliced or chopped
3/4 cup roasted salted pecan pieces
1 cup crumbled feta I also love soft goat cheese in this salad
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
1 cup pomegrante juice (reduced to 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or white balsamic
juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon honey (or a few drops liquid stevia if you prefer)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set oven rack in upper third position. Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Place prepared squash on parchment, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper
Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until squash is soft and edges are brown. Time may vary according to oven and altitude.
While squash cooks, prepare salad dressing:
To reduce pomegranate juice: Place a small pan on high heat and add juice
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer
Allow to simmer until juice measures 1/4 cup. I measure after 15 minutes and every few minutes after that. Just be sure not to forget about it! After it is reduced to a ¼ cup, allow to cool before using.
Place 1/2 cup olive oil into a jar or measuring cup, add lemon juice, honey, vinegar, sea salt, pepper and cooled pomegranate juice, whisk until well combined, set aside
3. On a platter or large bowl, place lettuce, then add cooled butternut squash, onions, nuts, and feta
Shake dressing well and the drizzle over salad to liking, toss
Serve!

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Category Archives: holiday food

Homemade Blueberry Swirl ‘No Churn’ Ice Cream

So, “How Does No Churn” Work?

But What About That Berry Swirl?

The Secret Ingredient: Creme Fraiche

The Recipe: Blueberry Swirl ‘No Churn’ Ice Cream!

MAY I PLEASE ASK A LITTLE FAVOR?

One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables

Let’s Talk About Braising…

Making This Recipe Gluten or Grain Free:

Fancier Than Your Usual Meat and Potato Meal…

The Recipe: One Pan Braised Chicken and Vegetables

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?

Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer

Let’s Muddle Things Up!

SIMPLE SYRUP OR NATURALLY SUGAR FREE STEVIA OPTION:

The Recipe: Pomegranate Lime Non-Alcoholic Spritzer

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?

Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken ~ For Any Day or The Holidays!

The Herbed Butter:

Those Onions Though…

Serve with Cranberry Sauce for The Holidays!

If You Are Nervous About Roasting a Chicken…

The Recipe: Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken ~ Any Day or Holidays!

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?

Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

But Before We Get To The Recipe…..I Want To Give You Sneak Peek at the Remodel of Our Sundance Cabin!

We Lived with “The Orange” for Ten Years…

Enter Suzanne…

So Many Changes, But It Kept That “Sundance” Vibe

The Best part of This Makeover?

Now For The Salad: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

Simple But Extraordinary!

What to Serve It With:

The Recipe: Greens with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette!

MAY I PLEASE ASK A FAVOR?