Tuesday, July 11, 2017

A/C, Produce, Cornish Hens,

Well, we didn't get our new A/C on Monday. For some reason the unit hadn't 'been released' from somewhere in Cambridge (next town) so they didn't get it before we had to leave for our doctor's appointment. Thought that might be quick, but my appointment was 2:30 and I finally got in shortly after 3. I was a tad p*ssed. Well, I guess we both were. So once again we were up early for no reason. I'm hoping to hear from the A/C people early in the morning.

Monday lunchtime saw me finishing off the last fresh asparagus of the season. Now I have to wait a whole year again. Mind you, I froze quite a lot, plus I bought three jars of pickled asparagus. I also have lots of honey from the farm too. I would love to get corn from them but unfortunately Matt doesn't enjoy corn so it isn't worth going all that way for two cobs of corn. Corn is something which needs to be eaten the day it is picked. I can buy it fairly fresh in my local grocery store once the season starts and I make do with that. I do enjoy it but not as much as if it had been picked that morning.

For some reason I have never cooked Cornish Hens, don't know why, I have always enjoyed them. I remember the first time I ever ate them was in North Carolina where a neighbour cooked them for my birthday dinner one year and that's got to be in the 80's. He made some kind of bread stuffing, never did get his recipe, and it was delicious. Never came across them in England, not sure why. I thought this recipe sounded pretty good and thought I might try it one of these days.

Herb-Roasted Cornish Hens with Root Vegetables

2 1- to 1-1/2- pounds Cornish game hens
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 small turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3 Tbs olive oil or cooking oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp salt

1. Skewer neck skin of hens to back; tie legs to tail. Twist wings under back. Place hens, breast up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Place carrots, parsnips, turnips, and onions around hens in pan. Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, and salt; brush onto hens and vegetables.

2. Roast, uncovered, in a 375°F oven for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until hens are no longer pink and the drumsticks move easily in their sockets.(Internal temperature should be 180° F with an instant-read thermometer.) During roasting, turn vegetables occasionally. Transfer hens from roasting pan to serving platter. Cover and keep warm. Remove rack from roasting pan. Stir vegetables. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Continue roasting vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes more or until tender and browned.

3. To serve, using a slotted spoon, spoon vegetables around hens on platter. Makes 4 servings.

Servings: 4

Source: Better Homes and Gardens®.

Have a great day
 

12 comments:

  1. I made Cornish hens once for a dinner party. So good. I used to make them a lot, but haven't in a very long time. Too bad about the A/C. I hate waiting for service folks, especially when they don't show up on time or not at all. I'd ask for some discount for the inconvenience. (I b---- a lot in case you haven't noticed, lol.)

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    1. Aren't they? And yet I don't know why I have never cooked them. Maybe I should ask for a discount, I was thinking they should give me a senior's discount anyway Denise. No - surely not!!!

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  2. Pity about the A/C. I hope it comes soon.
    You're right about corn needing to be eaten as soon as possible after it's been picked. I grow a few dozen plants every summer just so I can go out into the garden, pick it, bring it in and cook it immediately. Absolutely delicious.

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    1. Lucky you Helen. I would love to be able to do that.

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  3. Hope you get your air conditioning fixed soon.
    Matt is a picky eater, isn't he?

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    1. Shooting for Thursday now.

      Not really Alex. He prefers his corn barbecued though.

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  4. I hope you are not too hot especially today is supposed to be a real scorcher. It might be time to wander over to a mall. I don't think I will ever make cornish hens but I did make a recipe you posted last week and talk about it. Hope you get to read it:)

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    1. No it wasn't too bad here Birgit, thanks. We have fans going and it seems to keep us relatively cool. Couldn't wander over to a mall anyway, no car.

      I will check it out, thanks.

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    2. Nothing worse than waiting around for something to be installed and then it doesn't happen. My son smoked cornish game hens on his smoker a few Christmases back. All day slow cooked. They were so delicious!

      betty

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    3. I do so agree Betty. But it was out of the tech's control.

      I like the sound of that - I bet they were delicious.

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  5. My ex-h made Cornish game hens a couple times. They were tasty! Is it really hot in your place w/o the air conditioning?

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    1. Definitely when it gets hot enough outside JoJo. The bedroom gets really hot and stuffy too but A/C in the living room and a fan blowing down the hall seem to cope with it. Right now it is cool outside anyway. Going up to 25°F which is warm but not unbearable.

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