Christmas Dinner It's So Easy (with recipes)
A simple Christmas dinner is almost a contradiction in terms. There is so much preparation for the big day that the dinner is anti-climatic for the cook. But keeping Christmas simple is a worthy goal. There is less stress for the cook and the family.
To obtain this lofty Christmas goal, a little less cooking is required. Keep the Christmas main meal light by adding more fruit dishes that can be made ahead. The main dish is Cornish Hens that cook quicker and are succulent and juicy. The presentation is the most important element so the dressed up Cornish Hens make an elegant statement. This memorable low stress meal is intended for a small gathering of six or less.
Stuffed Cornish Hens with Apricot Glaze
Bread-sausage stuffing
Sweet Potatoes Puree
Elegant garlicky green beans
Rolls
The centerpiece of the meal are the mouthwatering apricot glazed hens with a bread, sausage and sherry-soaked dried fruit stuffing that is worthy of your most critical guest. This simple recipe is intended to make everyone swoon.
Ingredients
*3 Cornish hens – 1-1/2 lbs each
*1-tablespoon butter
*1/3 cup apricot preserves
*2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
*1/2 cup chopped dried cherries or raisins
*1/2 cup sherry
*8 ox frozen breakfast sausage links, 8 links
*1 large onion, chopped
*6 slices firm white sandwich bread, cubed, about 5 cups
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
*1-1/4 cup dried sage, divided
*3/4 tsp salt, divided
*1/4 tsp pepper, divided
*1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Instructions:
1. Preheat over to 425 degrees
2. Combine apricots, cherries and sherry
3. Reserve
4. Cook sausage in skillet according to package directions
5. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from skillet
6. Add onion
7. Cook over medium heat until soften – 4 minutes
8. Chop sausage
9. In bowl combine bread, sausage, onion, parsley, 1 tsp sage, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper
10. Add broth and reserved fruit mixture
11. Toss
12. Fill each hen cavity with stuffing about 1 cup
13. Sprinkle hens with remaining salt, pepper & sage
14. Truss
15. Place hens on rack in roasting pan
16. Roast 20 minutes
17. Brush with butter
18. Reduce oven temperature to 350 digress
19. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees
20. About 1 hour –5 minutes
21. Transfer remaining stuffing to buttered baking dish
22. Bake until browned around edges – 30 minutes
23. Combine preserves with 1-tablespoon water
24. Brush over hens twice during last 15 minutes of cooking time
Makes 6 servings
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