Cornish Game Hens with fruit and nut stuffing

Stuffing: Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add rice. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Sauté chopped onion in butter and cook for a few moments, then add celery and continue to cook until onion is tender. Add dried cranberries and dried apricots. Add roasted almonds and the zest of one orange and allow the stuffing to simmer, stirring constantly for a few moments. Remove from the heat, add the rice and mix well. Allow to cool. This will yield enough stuffing for two batches of this recipe - additional stuffing can be frozen for future use.
Game Hens: Pre-heat oven to 400°F or 200°C Loosely stuff the birds with the fruit/rice mixture, and tie the legs together with butcher's string. Place on grid in roasting dish and place in middle of oven, uncovered. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F or 160°C Blend one cup of orange juice with the honey. Pour the orange and honey glaze over the birds after about 25 minutes of cooking.
Roast the Cornish Hens for about 45 - 60 minutes, basting every 15-minutes with the orange/honey mixture. Test using a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature is reached before serving. (You may have to cover with foil for final cooking to prevent burning caused by the sugar in the orange mixture)

Cornish Game Hens with fruit and nut stuffing
2 Cornish Game Hens with giblets removed 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock 1 cup (240 gm) white and wild rice mixed 1 small chopped yellow onion 1/4 cup butter (65 gm) 2 sticks celery, chopped finely 1/4 cup dried cranberries (65 gm) 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots (65 gm) 1/4 cup slivered, roasted almonds (65 gm) zest of one orange 1 cup orange juice (250ml) 2 tbsp honey (30ml)
Stuffing: Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add rice. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Sauté chopped onion in butter and cook for a few moments, then add celery and continue to cook until onion is tender. Add dried cranberries and dried apricots. Add roasted almonds and the zest of one orange and allow the stuffing to simmer, stirring constantly for a few moments. Remove from the heat, add the rice and mix well. Allow to cool. This will yield enough stuffing for two batches of this recipe - additional stuffing can be frozen for future use. Game Hens: Pre-heat oven to 400°F or 200°C Loosely stuff the birds with the fruit/rice mixture, and tie the legs together with butcher's string. Place on grid in roasting dish and place in middle of oven, uncovered. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F or 160°C Blend one cup of orange juice with the honey. Pour the orange and honey glaze over the birds after about 25 minutes of cooking. Roast the Cornish Hens for about 45 - 60 minutes, basting every 15-minutes with the orange/honey mixture. Test using a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature is reached before serving. (You may have to cover with foil for final cooking to prevent burning caused by the sugar in the orange mixture)
©This recipe is from Robert's Recipes at www.robertsrecipes.ca