Cornish Hens Stuffed With Butternut Squash Food

HERB-STUFFED ROASTED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Gently lift skin from hen breasts and place sage leaves under skin. Place lemon wedges and a third of the onions in the cavities. Tuck wings under hens; tie legs together. Place in a small greased roasting pan. , Combine butter, oil, lemon juice and garlic; spoon half of mixture over hens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper., Bake 30 minutes. Add potatoes and remaining onions to pan. Brush hens with remaining butter mixture. Bake until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175° and potatoes are tender, 40-45 minutes longer., Remove hens to a serving platter. Stir potatoes and onions to coat with pan drippings. Serve with hens.

CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.
• Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.
• Yield: 2 servings

ROASTED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt & pepper to taste (add extra herbs if you'd like).
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and herbs in a small bowl. Brush hens with olive oil mixture. Twist wings to tuck under the bird.
• Place hens in a large casserole dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the prepared vegetables around the hens and place in the oven. Reduce heat to 400°F.
• Bake 55-65 minutes or just until hens reach 165°F with a thermometer and vegetables are tender. (Ensure the thermometer does not touch the bone.)
• Remove from the oven and loosely tent with foil for 10 minutes before cutting.
• Cut hens in half using kitchen scissors and serve.

STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion and rice in 2 tablespoons butter until rice is browned. Add the water, soup, lemon juice, chives, parsley and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Preheat oven to 375°., Sprinkle hen cavities with salt and pepper; stuff with rice mixture. Place with breast side up on a rack in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Melt remaining butter and add tarragon; brush some over the hens. , Cover loosely and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until a thermometer reads 170° for hens and 165° for stuffing, 30-45 minutes longer, basting frequently with tarragon butter.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet or saucepan, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in cornbread, bread crumbs, pimientos, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well. , Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing. Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; add garlic, lemon zest, mint and remaining salt and pepper. Brush over hens. Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes.

ROASTED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Pat the cornish hen dry (including cavity) with paper towels.
• In a small bowl, combine all dry rub seasoning mixture ingredients. Rub seasoning mixture over both sides and underneat the skin of the hen.
• Season the cavity of the hen with salt and pepper then stuff with one lemon wedge, head of garlic halved, and 3 rosemary sprigs.
• Tuck wing tips under the back of the hen; tie ends of legs together with twine.
• Put the chopped vegetables in a large roasting pan, then drizzle with oil. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste then pour in the dry white wine.
• Put the hens, breast side up, directly on top of vegetables. Make sure the hens are not touching the wine! Brush the hens on both sides with oil.
• Roast the hens and vegetables, uncovered, for about 50-60 minutes (depending on the size) or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the vegetables are tender. Rotating the pan halfway through roasting.

STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.

CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Hens -- Clean your hens, pat dry and set a side to take the chill off.
• Stuffing.
• Rice: Cook the rice according to package directions and once it is done, set to the side.
• Vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saute pan and heat to medium heat. Add the onion, pepper and celery and cook until soft. Mix in the squash and heat until warm. Mix in the seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Combine: Add the vegetable mixture to the rice and add the cheese and mix well,.
• Hens -- Simply stuff the hens and place in a large casserole dish which I think works best. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth in the bottom of the dish. Half the way through cooking, I usually add the other 1/2 cup of broth. This just gives the hens a little moisture as they cook. NOTE: If you have extra stuffing, which you probably will - just bake in a small casserole dish. I always serve the extras on the side and there is never any leftovers.
• Glaze -- Mix the jelly with the salt and pepper and heat for 1 minute in the microwave. Brush on the hens. Also, brush 1-2 more times as the hens cook.
• Bake -- Heat the oven to 425 middle shelf and cook 15 minutes. Brush additional glaze on the hens and reduce the oven to 350 and cook for another 20-30 minutes or so (it really depends on the size of the hens). Right at the end, brush on the remaining glaze.
• Serve -- Remove from the oven and let rest 5-10 minutes before carving. Serve 1 hen per person, cut in half and just enjoy. I love serving this with sauteed kale or spinach with a little garlic, balsamic vinegar and butter; toasted bread, and nothing more.

TENDER STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook rice according to package directions. In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in the soup, mushrooms and prepared rice., Sprinkle inside and outside of hens with salt and pepper. Stuff with rice mixture. Place on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan; cover with foil. , Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Melt remaining butter; brush over hens. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing.