Paula's Game Hens

HRinNH · November 2004

I watched a cooking show with Paula Deen (GA Mamma) and she was cookin' up some Cornish Game Hens instead of Turkey for T-Day. I think I'm going to try it this year since my husband isn't a big turkey fan anyway. Here's the recipe in case you need a change of pace also.

6 Cornish game hens (about 3/4 to 1 pound each)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest, minced

Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry; place in bowl. Put garlic and ginger in food processor and process until nearly smooth. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, and zest. Add the garlic and ginger. Pour mixture over game hens, coating well. Refrigerate overnight, turning in marinade several times.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place game hens in shallow roasting pan; pour marinade on top. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes. Remove hens to serving platter. Pour cooking juices into small, heavy saucepan and boil for 4 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Pour over hens just before serving. Serve with sesame noodles or rice pilaf. These hens can also be grilled; just remember to baste often.

Whirlwind · November 2004

I'm not cooking the Thanksgiving dinner this year (responsible for several bottles of wine and a cranberry dish only), but I will definitely use this recipe for a Saturday night dinner soon. I love game hens and I subscribe to the theory that the calories you consume equal the calories you burn off working to get all the meat! Thanks!

HRinNH · November 2004

You're very welcome! Hey, she also had a simple but yummy cranberry sauce recipe. And a recipe for a pumpkin trifle. If you want them let me know

)

Whirlwind · November 2004

Thanks -- I'd like to check out the pumpkin trifle; sounds interesting. But it's an annual ritual for me to make my grandmother's cranberry recipe. I've tried alternatives but always come back to Mamma Mae's Cranberry Salad (she might haunt me otherwise).

HRinNH · November 2004

Oh no...don't irritate Mamma Mae! I've posted the Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle too.

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Don D · November 2004

You two should really be frying a whole chicken and turkey tomorrow, ya' know! Do I need to come over there??

HRinNH · November 2004

>You two should really be frying a whole chicken >and turkey tomorrow, ya' know!

Well I hate breakin' with tradition and all. It's just going to be my hubby and I this year. If I could just buy a large turkey breast and roast it instead of fixing the whole bird, I just might change my mind.

>Do I need to come over there??>

uh, Don...NH and TX are in opposite directions from MS. Just go on ahead and have a cold one and I'll check in on you over the weekend to see if you're feelin' better.

HRinNH · November 2004

I caved and cooked a turkey breast instead of the hens. I used Paula's marinade and it was very tasty.

)

Don D · November 2004

For it is written: You will not truly have 'caved' until you deep fry a whole bird or a breast. Whole bird: 325 @ 3.5 minutes per pound. Whole breast: 325 @ 5 minutes per pound.

Crout · November 2004

I saw this episode, but it was the roasted new potatoes with rosemary I was interested in....they turned out great by the way. On the way to Florida last year my wife and I stopped in at Paula's restaurant in Savannah. Yummmmm. I recommend it highly.

HRinNH · November 2004

Oh we made the potatoes too and you're right, they came out delicious!

JudyT929 · December 2004

I made this for Christmas for my daughter and her boyfriend. It was a huge hit! The hens were so moist and flavorful and although Joe was reluctant to eat a hen I do believe he is now a convert. ?Thank you for the recipe.

Don D · December 2004

Don't let your daughter bring into the family a boy who will not eat chicken!

JudyT929 · December 2004

LOL he eats chicken just didn't know what a hen was. He doesn't like seafood though and that DOES have me concerned!

HRinNH · January 2005

I eat chicken, turkey and occasionally even beef. But never pork or seafood or any animal I've personally met.

Don D · January 2005

What's the deal with pork and seafood? As with venison, I could cook pork and seafood and have you think it was beef or lamb or chicken. And if you were to go to a farmer's market and select your turkey, on the hoof, and he whacked it's head off and provided it to you in a bag (the turkey, not the head) would that count as having personally met the animal?

**When we do for others what they should do for themselves, we disempower them.**

HRinNH · January 2005

I was raised not to eat pork and seafood since about 5 yrs old due to them being "unclean" foods (biblically). I can't say that I've never had a piece of pork or seafood but if I have, it wasn't on purpose. I now don't eat it for health convictions as well.

And, I don't shop for meat at a farmer's market. Only fresh produce.

The first time I visited Venezuela with my husband, we went with his parents to a nearby farm. His mom paid the man for a chicken and the little boy chased one, caught it, tied up its legs and then it was carried upside down to the vehicle and laid at my feet. It stared up at me clucking all the way home. It was then tied to the fence outside for awhile in the hot sun. When I saw my mother-in-law heading that way with a big knife, I went in the other direction quickly. I then couldn't bring myself to eating the soup she carefully prepared with that chicken.

Don D · January 2005

I respect your religious convictions and don't want to turn this into a Biblical argument, but can you tell me where in the Bible we are instructed not to eat food from the sea. Would it be anywhere near the passage where Jesus fed the masses with one or two fishes or where he taught men to be fishermen? And the literature I read about fish oil and other seafood indicates seafood and fish are some of the most healthful foods our bodies can process.

My grandmother always had chickens and I grew up knowing them to be nastier than any pig I ever saw. x:-)

**When we do for others what they should do for themselves, we disempower them.**

HRinNH · January 2005

Leviticus 11 is a books of the bible where the list of 'clean' and 'unclean' foods appears. It was not only a command for God's people of that time but I believe it's common sense for today.

He doesn't tell us not to eat all fish. I do enjoy the fish that are 'clean'.

As far as chicken being dirtier than pigs, that of course depends on their home and environment. Regarding their food quality, I don't believe it matters how they're raised.

Don D · January 2005

Thanks for the reference. But, tell me, what about a pig, if not his environment and manners, makes him unclean? His system processes food and waste just like any other animal's system. Were the authors of Leviticus discriminating against the pig because of his appearance, noisy manners and indifferent attitude? A pig is much like a cat. Both typically ignore you unless they want something. A cat makes decent tamales but a pig is more versatile.

**When we do for others what they should do for themselves, we disempower them.**

safety · January 2005

I'm probably going to be sorry for asking but are trout considered 'clean'? What about crappie, catfish, waleye, I better stop there.

HRinNH · January 2005

I believe the rule is that the fish needs to have both fins and scales to be clean.

safety · January 2005

Sheeewww, I feel better now. I have several freezer bags full of trout I need to cook and now I know they are ‘clean’ for a minute I thought I was in trouble. Even though it's going to be cold and windy, if any of you are out my way, I'll have the grill going around one in the afternoon this Saturday. I'll take the trout and fill the belly with garlic and butter, wrap in heavy-duty foil and flip em twice on the grill. For those who don't like trout I'll have some steak and dogs to compliment the tators and corn cooking inside. Oh yea, I almost forgot the homemade dinner rolls my better half will be making. Did I mention barley pop?

HRinNH · January 2005

Kind of a long drive for me to be in your neighborhood but thanks for the invite...! x;-)

Don D · January 2005

Well, I guess Mississippi Pond Raised Catfish is out of the question as far as the Leviticus Restaurant Chain. We are the world's leading producer of pond raised fish. They are raised in three foot deep, two acre, clear, aerrated ponds and eat pelletized food shot from the bank by a feed cannon. No garbage involved. This is a very high dollar, high protein food. They are not scavengers. I can attest to their having fins as I have jammed more than several through a finger. But they do not have scales. I have laid some of the larger ones on scales however. I'm told by a Biblical scholar that when Jesus turned the water into wine it was actually shrimp-wine. I'll bet you five dollars if Jesus showed up, he'd eat my fried oysters and catfish! Not to mention my fried turkey. What did Leviticus say about the scavenging turkey?

**When we do for others what they should do for themselves, we disempower them.**

HRinNH · January 2005

>I'll bet you five dollars if Jesus showed up, >he'd eat my fried oysters and catfish! Not to >mention my fried turkey.

I think you'd lose. /:)

>What did Leviticus say about the scavenging >turkey?

Turkey, free-range or wild, is clean as far as I know.

Don D · January 2005

Well, I'll close with this; people from all walks of life come to my cookouts. I will let you know how it goes.

**When we do for others what they should do for themselves, we disempower them.**

HRinNH · January 2005

Enjoy! We'll probably have lots of snow by Saturday but I'm sure it'll be nice in MS.

Paula's Game Hens

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