Baked Chicken

We had a little girl and her mom come over the other day to bring us some Holiday treats and when I opened the door she said "MMMM, It smells sooo good in here Mom."  I told her I was making Baked Chicken and she looked at her mom and asked, "How come you never make that?"  Well... the truth is a lot of people don't make it because they think it is a lot more difficult than it really is.  (And she was right- it makes your house smell amazing.)

One of the best compliments I have ever recieved from my dad would have been the first time he had my baked chicken- I don't think he ever thought I could cook... but he was more than surprised when he tried my chicken that had been roasting in the oven for three hours.  I slaved over that chicken... but over time I have learned that a baked chicken doesn't require that much work... Just a few tricks that were up my sleeve and a few ingredients also. 

Baked Chicken

1 roaster chicken
Olive oil
4 T. butter
1 onion, whole
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup to 1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the chicken, and remove all the giblet ans fun stuff you may find lurking within the cavity.  Dry the chicken, very well with paper towels.

Place a fresh peeled onion inside the cavity.  Pour some olive oil onto the chicken and smother it around, covering all parts of it.  Salt and pepper the bird to your liking- I say a teaspoon because I don't want to freak anybody out, but I like to salt the bird completely.   Salting it in a nice, thick coating will create a nice crisp, and obviously salty, but delicious skin.   Finish seasoning with pepper, and garlic salt. 

Now- for the magic trick...

Cut the butter up into 4 Tablespoons.  Slice the chicken in four places, see above picture.  Don't slice all the way through, just create a nice pocket for the butter.  Or as I like to call them, little bundles of joy!  Place the butter into the pockets. 

Now, place the water in the roasting pan with the bird.  I fill the pan halfway up with water.  That creates an amazing base for your gravy.    I like to make this a day in advance and let it sit in the fridge and bake it the next day.  You may do that, but if you prefer it is ready to go now.   A normal roaster should take about 2 and 1/2 hours to bake.

City "Chicken"

Wait for it.... wait for it....

City Chicken is actually.... [pork]!

You know I'm not really sure where this recipe came from, other than my mother. And I'm not really sure why it is named City Chicken. All I do know is that it is amazing, and my husband asks me to make it at least twice a week. The original recipe said to make these as kabobs... but who has time to thread pork onto a skewer that has been soaking in water for 24 hour? You may... but I, unfortunately do not!

2 pounds boneless pork (cut into cubes)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 cup water

You may choose how small or big to cut your pork cubes, but I tend to go with one inch. Combine flour, garlic salt and pepper on a plate. (I am a feind for garlic salt- so I usually add a bit more garlic salt for extra flavor... It's up to you.) Roll pork in flour mixture until well coated.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Once melted, add pork into skillet. Brown pork. Sprinkle with soup mix once well browned. I don't stir the soup mix around- I just let it coat the pork. Add chicken broth and water. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to one hour until pork is tender.

Creamy White Chili & Cornbread

I am not a huge fan of the original so-called "White Chili".... it's not really white.  In fact the only [white] ingredient in it is the chicken. 

This... is a real white chili- made with cream... therefore [Creamy] White Chili. This is definately one of my favorite soups, and also a request of my husband on a weekly basis.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 T. oil

2 cans Great Northern beans

1 can chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 can chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink and golden brown.  Drain almost all the liquid off the beans, but save a little.  The starchy liquid will help thicken the soup.  Add the beans, green chiles, chicken broth and seasonings to the pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Stir in the sour cream, whipping cream and cream cheese.  Make sure the heat is low so you don't curdle the cream.  Once all are mixed in well- serve... with the [most amazing, sweet cornbread muffins].

[Most amazing, sweet cornbread muffins]

1 stick butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 [degrees].  Melt butter in saucepan.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar.  Pour into mixing bowl and add eggs.  Beat until well blneded.  Combine buttermilk and baking soda and stir into sugar mixture.  Mix in cornmeal and salt until well blended.  Fill muffin tin 2/3 full and bake for about 35 minutes.  Serve with butter.

sECRET rancH dressing!

As per the request of Mallory:

The best ranch dressing that will ever grace your tastebuds....

2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon parsley flakes- not fresh ones either.
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Accent
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together.  Keep in [fridge.]

Pumpkin Spice Trifle

Okay!  I'm sorry, I'm sorry.  I haven't had a chance to take my own pictures of this dessert... so I had to go find the original recipe and take it from there....  You have to see this dessert to really appreciate it's beauty!

This recipe is a [dream.]  This is perfect for fall, and great to take a to a Holiday party.  You can brag and show off your amazing skills, when in reality

this may be the easiest "pretty" dessert you ever made.  Now... be forewarned ahead of time... this recipe does call for rum!  If you by chance decide you would like to forgo the alchohol... you may.  You can not, however, make this and serve in anything but a trifle bowl.  So if you don't have one... rush to the nearest store and pick one up!  It is [necessary!]

3 cups heavy cream
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree - mind you this is not pumpkin pie filling.
1 teaspoon [good] vanilla ...
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch salt
1 (7.5-ounce) jar marshmallow cream, divided
3 cups chopped gingersnap cookies
3 tablespoons dark rum

Gather your infantry of bowls... you're going to need quite a few for this dessert!

In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff. Set aside 2 cups of the whipped cream in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve trifle.

Pumpkin Mousse: In a large bowl, stir together the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, clov es, and salt. Fold in 1/2 of the marshmallow cream, then 1/2 of the remaining whipped cream. DO NOT OVER MIX- just fold gently.  Repeat and fold in the remaining 1/2 marshmallow cream and remaining 1/2 of the whipped cream until combined.  If you over mix this- you will have flat whipped cream... no body wants that.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the chopped gingersnap cookies with rum.

Spoon 1/3 of the pumpkin mousse into the trifle bowl, spreading evenly... Try to make sure it goes up the edges of the bowl a little bit so you can see it from the outside!  Sprinkle 1/2 of the gingersnap cookies on top. Spoon another 1/3 of the pumpkin mousse over the cookies. Repeat with the remaining 1/2 of the remaining gingersnap cookies, then top with the final layer of pumpkin mousse. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Just before serving this masterpiece, top with the reserved 2 cups whipped cream and sprinkle with the crushed gingersnaps.

There, my friend, you have just made a beautiful trifle!

Our newest creation is now in the oven, set to broil... and baking..
Please come back to view when the chicken has finished cooking!

Also coming this month:
-Pumpkin Spice Truffle 
-White Chocolate Peppermint Truffle
-Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
-Infamous City Chicken*
-Coq au Vin
-Meatball and Spinach Soup*
-Coffee Toffee
-Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Butter*
-Spinach and Pasta Toss   

[About the Kitchen at 9th and 9th]

Meet: [The Chef, The Creater, The Go-to Gal]

Savannah is the cook in this kitchen. She creates or adapts nearly every recipe
you see on this site. She is the type of person who desires to make things that
are [better], better pound cakes and bundt cakes, better chicken marsala, and of
course better meatball and spinach soup. She has found out the hard way to never judge a recipe by it's name or it's ingredients. She has a passion for food and cooking, that you will almost always hear about at a dinner party, or even over a casual conversation during your morning coffee. She desires to pass on all her new creations, and absolute fantastic recipes to all her friends, family, and even people at the grocery store who ask what she is planning on using fresh ginger for. If you want to know all the differences between cake flour, and just regular plain-old flour, she would be the go-to gal. She happens to know every minute, miniscule detail about the foods she cooks- and if she doesn't... she'll google it.

Meet: [The Inspiration, Picky Eater, and most always- Janitor]

Jordan is the inspiration for this blog, but most importantly the inspiration
for all of Savannah's recipes. If he will eat it, it must be good. When he is
not washing dishes, or reaching for things that are just a little too high for
Savannah, or cleaning up after all of her messes, he is quietly eating and loving his wife's passion for cooking.  His favorite foods include baked chicken, the super fabulous City Chicken, and of course any (Sunday-type) food; which includes Savannah's ultra decadent creamy mashed potatoes, and the ultimate pork roast. If you ask him, he will say he loves [everything] his wife cooks, but she knows all too well that isn't really true.  Follow him- he knows what is good. If you see a recipe with a * next to it- you will know this recipe/creation/adaptation,is Jordan approved.

Meet: [The Kitchen at 9th and 9th]

Here at the "Kitchen", as we so lovingly named our kitchen space, we love our coffee and we take it cold. We enjoy cooking foods that run with the seasons, and you will find that we have all the best recipes for spring, summer, fall and winter. Yes, here in Utah, we do have all four seasons! We want to create dishes that are fresh from the garden, or home-made from scratch.  We believe in using organic foods, and don't believe in using canned vegetables or
microwavable soups. Here in the Kitchen, we believe the best foods are almost always made from scratch. We love to eat/make comfort foods that have been kicked up a few notches, we love to make beer bread, and of course we will share our tips and tricks that we have learned- even some full fledged tutorials on how to poach an egg, or make home-made marshmallows. Here you won't find excessively expensive foods, or foods that you can only find at special stores, in special places, at the corner of Special Street... Our Kitchen is located in the middle of nowhere, in a little town with no grocery stores, or heaven forbid, even a McDonalds, so truthfully we can't have those ingredients in our recipes... we don't have a choice! We make things with ingredients that are accessible to everyone.