Today was “game” day, so I decided to grab a few of small “game” birds and give them a roast. Game hens are tasty and cooking time is relatively short. Just add your favorite rice and/or other food amenities for a delicious dinner. I used a short-cut for the rice with a wild rice mixture to further cut the time in the kitchen down.
“Game” day Game Hens
The rice mixture was Rice-A- Roni Long Grain and Wild Rice…pretty good for quick meal. Generally I’ll forego the box and make it myself, however time was not on my side. I did, however, saute onions, red and yellow bell peppers, and garlic, then added the rice portion of the mix, and sautéed until the rice was opaque, added 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and the wild rice portion of the mix, brought it to a boil, reduced the heat and simmered. I added 3 large stuffing mushrooms (sliced) at the end. The heat from the rice mixture perfectly steamed them
Those birds basking in the sun. Oiled and seasoned with the usual suspects of garlic and onion powder, fresh cracked black pepper, sea salt, poultry seasoning, and Kirklands Rustic Tuscan Seasoning
Stuffed each with a few crushed garlic cloves and white pearl onions. Tied those legs together and tucked the wings
Gave them a little sear in canola oil in a cast iron skillet
Added a little chopped fresh rosemary, stuck a sprig in the cavity as well, and onto the grate of the roasting pan. Roasted uncovered in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 80 minutes. If uncertain as to the doneness, check with an instant-read thermometer. A reading from 170-180 F is desirable.
“We’re done!” Cried the birds
Juicy, succulent, and delicious
Placed on the bed of rice–garnished with scallions, parsley, and tomatoes. I just love tomatoes and rice, as you can also see from the photo below
A little shrimp and asparagus deal from last weeks lunch menu….OK, back to those game hens
Not bad for a meal that didn’t keep me in the kitchen for too long. My sons came along and confiscated all of those little drum-sticks soon after this photo was taken
