Cranberry Stuffed Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Wild Rice and Steamed Asparagus with Savory Olive Bread

Cranberry Stuffed Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Wild Rice and Steamed Asparagus with Savory Olive Bread

 

Stuffing

	( French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2	tablespoons margarine
1/4	cups chopped onions
1/4	cups chopped celery
1/2	teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2	teaspoon dried thyme
1/2	teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon black pepper
1/2	cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
1	tablespoon sugar
1/2	cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

·  Arrange bread on two 15X10-inch jelly roll pans. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly toasted. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

·  Melt margarine in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook and stir 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender; remove from heat. Add bread cubes, poultry seasoning, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; mix well. Combine cranberries and sugar in small bowl; mix well. Add to bread mixture; toss well. Drizzle chicken broth evenly over mixture; toss well.

·  Spray roasting pan and rack with nonstick cooking spray. Remove giblets from hen. Rinse hen and cavity in cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Fill hen cavity loosely with stuffing.

Glaze:

·  1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen cranberry cocktail concentrate, thawed

·  1/4 cup (60 mL) liquid honey

·  1 tsp (5 mL) each salt and pepper

In bowl, stir together cranberry concentrate, honey, salt and pepper. Brush over hens. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.)

Place hen, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Bake 45 minutes or until thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 180°F and juices run clear.

Cranberry Rice

Wild rice, dried cranberries, chicken broth

 

Olive Bread

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 8 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 10 1/2 ounces black and green olives, pitted

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, wine, and thyme to the bowl, and then stir to combine. Sift the flour and salt together, and then add to the yeast mixture, stirring to combine. Knead the dough until smooth, and then add the olives and combine. Cover the bowl, and let dough proof in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Mold dough into desired shape (loaf, round, etc.) and allow to proof again.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush with the dough with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a golden crust has developed.
Slice as desired and serve warm.