Cornish Game Hens with Sausages and Potatoes

 

Cornish Game Hens with

Sausages and Potatoes

It is no secret that I have become quite the pantry meal guy, but every now and then I love to cook a good steak (despite my poultry diet) and I love to cook a fancy meal.  Last night, I made Cornish Game Hens Stuffed with butter, garlic cloves, Mexican green onions and fresh herbs. The hens were flavorful and perfectly cooked. This is not a 30-minute meal. It will take about two hours from prep to service. While my photos show the hens on a board with herbs and onions, be assured I was ready to use everything and cook.  Otherwise, we do not want any cross-contamination of meat proteins and veg. Alright, let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

2 cornish game hens

1 bunch Mexican green onions or scallions

1 yellow onion

10 cloves garlic

1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved

Sprigs fresh sage, rosemary and thyme

salt, pepper

1 package four sausages (optional)

non-stick spray

butter (12 tabs butter)

Cut the Mexican green onions as you wish, or the scallions, if you use those. Slice the yellow onion into discs. Use the white bulb of the Mexican green onions for the bed of the hens in a large baking pan. Halve the potatoes. 

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Line the large baking pan with foil.  Spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Place the potato halves along the inner perimeter of the baking pan. Once done, the potatoes can overlap with the onions.  No worries. Add the onion discs to the center of the pan, spreading them from left to right, as they will serve as the bed for the hens. Sprinkle some of the fresh herbs over the potatoes and onions and sprinkle salt over them all. Add about six or more garlic cloves and ten tabs of butter throughout the pan.  Save two cloves and one tab of butter for each hen.

Add the sausages to the perimeter of the pan if you use them.  For some people, Cornish hens are not enough to fill them up, so I added them, just in case.  It was a last-minute decision. 

Now, whether you wash chicken or game hens or not, prep the hens to stuff. Place the butter tabs in the hens, along with the garlic cloves and greens of the scallions, followed by as much of the fresh herbs you can stuff them with.  Place the hens over the onions and potatoes in the baking pan.  Drizzle the hens with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Top with fresh thyme.  

Place the pan into the oven and bake for 50 minutes at 350-degrees (see the preheat above).  After 50 minutes, raise the heat to 375-degrees and roast for another 20 - 30 minutes.  Afterward, check the hens with a thermometer, but it will be quite ready by now.  The reason why I had planned to let it roast so long was because of all of the potatoes, onions, and sausages in the pan with the hens. 

Those golden hens and splitting sausages are not only beautiful but are aromatic and mind-blowing to the senses.  After removing from the oven, remove the hens and allow them to rest a few minutes. If you want, remove the stuffing, or, let the guest remove it.  It is all quite edible and delish!

Plate simply.  Add potatoes and onions and top them with the hen. Add fresh garnish if you wish and enjoy!  

I used Mexican green onions instead of scallions because the greens crisp up nicely during the roasting process.  I love it. 

As always, Thank You so much for your visit!  I appreciate each and every one of you!  Now, Go Cook Something For Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

Pandemic Pantry Jambalaya

 

Pandemic Pantry Jambalaya

Hi Friends!  This meal is filling, flavorful, and aromatic as all get up.  Make this with a loved one; tag-team it!  I did, and it was fun. I am allergic to shrimp and shellfish, so we substituted sausage and chicken in place of that. It is a pantry meal and those are what I had on hand, as it was, and it worked out great. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 package Zatarain's Jambalaya rice

1 package four Andouille sausages

Fresh thyme

Fresh oregano

2 14.5 oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 or 2 cans fire-roasted green chiles or,

Sliced and pickled Jalapenos

1 onion, coarsely chopped

2 - 4 garlic cloves, diced

evoo

Your choicee of spices, if any*

Cube the chicken and slice the sausages into angular discs. Add 3 tablespoons of evoo to a large skillet over high heat.  When the oil ripples, add the chicken.  Add salt, pepper and Cajun spice (if desired*). Allow the chicken to start to caramelize, getting some golden color to them before adding the sausage. Move the chicken to the perimeter of the skillet and saute the sausage in the center for three minutes.  Turn the sausages and allow them to brown for another three minutes.  Add, now, half of the onion, salt, and pepper, one can of the fire-roasted tomatoes and one can of the chiles, and combine the meats and onion thoroughly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow them all to cook for seven or eight minutes.  

Now, start the Zatarain's Jambalaya Rice. Follow the directions on the box.  Once you bring the water, oil, and rice mixture to a boil, add the other half of the onion and one can of the fire-roasted tomatoes, and one can of the chiles. Combine thoroughly and reduce the heat as directed and simmer. 

When the rice mixture is done, add the chicken and sausage mixture to the rice and combine thoroughly.  Allow the mixture to simmer a few more minutes together, then remove from the heat and let it sit for about five minutes more. 

Serve in a bowl and garnish with the herbs.  

This recipe will feed four-to-six easily for one sitting. Freeze half of it for another sesh if feeding two! 

As always, Thank You for your visit!  I always appreciate that.  I am out of town and watching the sunset and smelling the eucalyptus and oaks and various coastal range shrubbery while writing.  I cannot tell you how peaceful this is.  

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook

 

Seasoned Oven Roasted Turkey Thighs and Couscous

 

Roasted Turkey Thighs

Sometimes one just has to step up and take care of one's health.  I have put myself on a strictly chicken and turkey regimen for dinners and lunch for three months. I find that I actually love it!  I do not like turkey breast, that dry old tough and dry as old boots, but the thighs and legs are awesome!  Same with chicken. While I do not have a step-by-step display as I often try to show you, this dish is so easy it does not even need it.  It does need time, however.  Turkey - even the thighs and/or legs - are not 30-Minute Meal proteins. Let's get started, shall we?

Ingredients

1 package turkey thighs, bone-in, skin on

Spice mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder

4 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary

1 box couscous or rice, your choice

 evoo

Line a pan with foil.  Add two tablespoons of evoo or spray the foil with non-stick spray.  Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Add the spices to the fully thawed turkey thighs all over.  Place the thighs into the foil-lined pan.  If you have oven-safe skillets, you can use that without the foil.  No need to cover it.  Roast the thighs for 45 minutes upwards to an hour, depending on your oven. 

15 minutes prior to the thighs finishing, make the couscous.  Earlier, if you are making rice. 

Once done, use a thermometer to check the temperature of the thighs. Make sure it reads "poultry".  If done, let the thighs sit and rest.  

Add herbs for garnish after placing the thighs atop the couscous or rice. I also grated fresh parmigiano reggiano into the couscous for a little salty bite. 

That is it!  Delicious flavors and fun to eat and healthy!  These thighs come in packages of two, so you can buy more to feed your family, and rice and couscous are inexpensive and go a long way!  Enjoy!

As always, Thank You for your visit!  I am grateful for you ALL!!!  Now, Go Cook For Somone You Love!!!

 

I do not own this photo.

~Martin

In-House Cook 

Pantry Pomodoro Pasta Sauce and Meals

 

Pantry Pomodoro Pasta Sauce and Meals

We are in the middle of a pandemic.  A lethal pandemic, which has caused millions to either lose or be laid from their jobs. Millions are at home, homeschooling their kids due to Distance Learning.  Times are hard, frustrating and Unemployment Benefits has become the plaything and dangling carrot for politicians to seek votes during this election. Geez, as if 2020 was not already painful, there are hungry people, hungry children, and that is not okay.  The last couple of recipes I have written have come from this neediness.  Like me, millions have not been able to keep full meals, fully healthy meals or balanced meals on their tables. Money is not plentiful, and so I hope this recipe helps families overcome.  This recipe can last upwards of four days for one or two people and  three days for up to four people. The list seems long, but it doesn't have to be*.  I will explain in a moment.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients for Carne Pomodoro Sauce

1 pound ground beef 

1 pound ground hot Italian Sausage 

(Really, you should use whatever ground meat you have or that is inexpensive you have in your freezer). 

2 28-0z cans San Marzano tomato puree 

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with any Italian ingredients, such as oregano, basil or garlic. 

red or white wine vinegar, two or three tablespoons

1 cup starchy pasta water

2 rounded tablespoons garlic, granulated or powder

2 rounded tablespoons of granulated onion

3 rounded and separated tablespoons dry Italian seasoning 

---or---

2 rounded teaspoons dry thyme 

2 teaspoons pounded rosemary

2 tablespoons dry oregano leaves, rubbed between your palms

salt and pepper

evoo

2 tablespoons tomato paste

 prepackaged ravioli, tortellini (both, your favs)

1 package of spaghetti or long noodle pasta, your favorite

Add four quarts of water to one pot and set it on a burner at medium-low heat. 

Bring three or four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, aka evoo, to a ripple in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the two packages of ground meat.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Allow the meat to caramelize three or so minutes before you begin breaking it up.  The sausage, if you use that, will render its fat and add flavor and amazing aromas. 

Next, add the tomato paste and a hefty pinch of the dry herbs or Italian seasonings.  Stir vigorously to incorporate.  Add the canned tomato products, the vinegar and another hefty tablespoon of the seasonings. Stir to marry these insanely aromatic and delicious flavorings, about two minutes.  

If you have any fresh ingredients, add them now or at the very end of simmering. 

Elevate the heat in the pot of water to high. 

Simmer to Pomodoro (tomato) sauce for thirty minutes up to one hour.  I let it simmer 45 minutes. 

When the water comes to a roiling boil, liberally salt the water. It is the only chance you get to season the pasta.  I actually went crazy and used garlic salt.  (It's been a no-no in traditional Italian kitchens but I didn't have any actual garlic so I improvised.  Add whichever pasta you want to have this evening.  I had cheese and prosciutto tortellini.  I plated on a bowl with 

I 

I plated on a small dish and grated fresh parmigiano reggiano atop this amazing delicacy. So flavorful, aromatic, such comfort for the soul. 

It will help rid you of your woes...

temporarily, at least.  

Thank You for your time and consideration, friends.  I hope this helps, however many days you drag it out. You can freeze the sauce, too, and split up the number of dishes you use it with!

With that, Take a Deep Breath and Go Cook For Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

 

Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Fried Parmesan Crusted Ravioli

 

Stuffed Bacon Rolled Chicken Thighs with Parmesan Crusted Fried Ravioli

I am not sure which part of this meal I really want to blog more, the chicken or the ravioli. Both turned out fantastic. I have made chicken such as this a few times before, in different incarnations, but this was good, too.  And, both are part of this exceptionally flavorful and easy pantry meal.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

1 package of five or six boneless skinless chicken thighs

7-10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Zest and Juice of one lime or, white champagne vinegar

1 package thick cut bacon, two slices per chicken thigh

1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmigiana 

evoo 

dried thyme, 1 teaspoon

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard in white wine

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. 

In a bowl, add the mozzarella, two teaspoons Parmigiana, salt and pepper (1/2 teaspoon each), the mustard, the zest and juice or, the vinegar, the sage leaves finely chopped and the thyme. Stir with a fork vigorously to incorporate everything. 

Meanwhile, in a baking pan lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray, lay out two pieces of bacon. Take a chicken thigh and open it up, using a paring knife if needed to cut tissue to open it further like a book.  Sorta.  😃  Add the stuffing length-wise, roll it up using the bacon.  The idea is, as it bakes, the bacon renders its fat and constricts, therefore keeping the stuffing inside. Repeat until you have used up everything.

Using a plane grater, grate some fresh Parmigiana over the chicken thigh roll.  I like to add a sage leaf to the face of each thigh.  That's just me, though.

Place the baking dish in the over for 45 minutes.  Low and slow is the best way to cook this.  

In the meantime, bring a couple of quarts of water to a roiling boil about 30 minutes into baking of the chicken. Add salt to the water.  Also, add grated garlic to a skillet with enough evoo in it to cover the entire bottom of the skillet and turn the heat to medium.  As the oil heats up the garlic, it will make you crazy hungry!

When the water boils, drizzle a teaspoon of evoo into the pot and add the ravioli one at a time.  The oil helps to prevent the ravioli from sticking to each other.  Bring the heat in the skillet up to medium-high. 

Use a spider or a slotted spoon to remove each ravioli from the pot and carefully and gently add it to the hot skillet. The water still on the ravioli will cause a splatter.  Be prepared!  Grate some Parmigiana over the frying ravioli.  Turn after two minutes and grate more cheese.  Remove to a serving plate. You may need to repeat the process depending on how many ravioli remain.  

When the chicken is done, about 45 minutes in, crank the heat to 400 for ten minutes.  Turn off the heat, remove the baking pan, and allow the chicken to rest.  

Let the chicken rest about five minutes. 

Serve singularly or on a famiglia serving platter.  Up to you!  I'd add a nice salad to this, maybe Caprese.  I think that'd be perfect.  

As always, Thank You very much for your time and consideration!  I appreciate your visit!

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!  Pantry meals are sweet, short and delicious.  Great way to go during these unusual living times.  

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

In-House Cook: Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle:   Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle This is not a unique dish. I'd love to say it is, but nope.  It IS, however, a favorite of...

Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

 

Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

This is not a unique dish. I'd love to say it is, but nope.  It IS, however, a favorite of my friends and family, is super easy to make and can be prepped and cooked within 45 minutes, tops.  It feeds four easily. It will feed six if you add one more chicken breast and one more cup of bowtie, or, farfalle pasta.  Because of this, during these difficult financial and stressful quaran-mess times, I wanted to share this recipe with you all.  We all want things to be easier, meals to be prepared quicker and less expensive but no less flavorful. Let's get to this, then, shall we?

Ingredients

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, scored

several fresh rosemary leaves, greens of 4 scallions, 6 basil leaves, 4 sage leaves, all finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, grated

several sprigs, fresh thyme

the zest of half a lemon and all of its juice

3 tablespoons evoo + 4 tablespoons

6 ounces basil pesto

salt and pepper

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese, about 1/4 cup

 Score the chicken breasts on the top and bottom. 

In a bowl, add the juice and zest of the lemon, add coarse sea salt, about 1 teaspoon, the grated garlic, the fresh finely chopped herbs and the four tablespoons evoo. Make sure the scored chicken breasts are fully coated with the marinade. Allow it to marinate about thirty minutes.  Longer, up to an hour, if possible. 

In a large skillet, add the remaining evoo.  When the oil ripples, add the chicken and all of the marinate.  Turn after four minutes each side. There should be a beautiful golden color to both sides. 

This is the color you want on both sides.  Now, remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest. 

Meanwhile, add one entire box (about one pound) of Farfalle (also known as Bowtie) Pasta to a pot of four quarts of liberally salted boiling water. Stir occasionally over the twelve minute cook time to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Slice the chicken now along the score lines. 

Now, once the pasta is done, save a 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and strain the pasta and water through a colander. In the same pot, add the pasta 1/4 cup pasta water, half of the pesto and stir, and a good pinch of the cheese.  Add the pasta back into the pot and stir vigorously.  Add more cheese. More pesto and cheese and incorporate thoroughly.  

I love that almost creamy cheesy Pesto Farfalle!

Plate the pasta and top it with the aromatic lemon herb chicken. Tipo di famiglia servo!

Serve family style and Gustati il tuo cibo!

Enjoy your food!

As always Thank You for your time and consideration.  I very much appreciate your visit!  

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!  

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

In-House Cook: Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya:   Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya Jambalaya is a down home style staple dish to the South just as Pot-au-feu  is a French staple dish that ...

Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

 

Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a down home style staple dish to the South just as Pot-au-feu is a French staple dish that never ends. And like both of these treasures, the ingredients can be as varied as the wind.  Traditionally, Jambalaya can incorporate very similar ingredients to Spanish Paella, such as rice, chicken, fish, crawfish or shrimp. Keeping in mind that I am allergic to shellfish and mushrooms, and, that it was real near the end of the month when I had prepared this (teachers are now nodding their heads, knowing how tight the end of the month is, financially) I used the ingredients remaining in my pantry and frig.  With that knowledge, shall we get to my Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya? Oui!

Ingredients

To feed four - six people....

2 cups washed rice 

1 large red onion, coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and grated

1 red, 1 green and 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, slivered

1 rounded tablespoon smoked Paprika

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1/2 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes

2 rounded tablespoons Old Bay

2 rounded tablespoons Cajun spice

1 bay leaf

2-3 tablespoons your favorite hot hot sauce

2 sticks celery with the greens attached, chopped

3 scallions, greens attached, sliced at an angle

2-3 Andouille sausage links, sliced at an angle

3/4 your favorite beer

1 1/4 cups water

1 28-oz can tomato puree

4-6 sprigs Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, coarsely chopped

Either 2 tablespoons crushed coriander seed or...

1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh Cilantro

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

+ Anything else you want to add!!!😄

Meal Prep: Coarsely chop all of the veg except the peppers. Or, cube them, too.  

After slicing the sausage at an angle, add three drizzles of evoo to a large pot over medium-high heat and then add and sautee the sausage slices for up to seven minutes until the edges begin char or brown. 

Get color on the sausages like this!

Once the sausage gets that partly char going on, add all of the veg, onion and garlic and rice!  Add the tomato product, beer and water and bring to a boil.   

Combine all the spices in a bowl and mix well with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour the spices into the pot. Add the hot sauce. Stir for about two solid minutes to incorporate all of the flavors.  The aroma should be insanely good right now!

This is the time to add any other ingredients YOU want, such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, or chicken.  I would have added corn if I'd had any on hand.  

 

This dreamy vision is what Jambalaya should look like.  Again, yours might have one ore more other traditional ingredients.  As I said, my ingredients stemmed from what I had on hand, and thank goodness, I had all the spices!

After you have brought the "stew" to a boil, reduce the heat to low or warm-low, and simmer for 45+ minutes, stirring the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon every fifteen minutes to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.   

Stir every fifteen minutes to prevent rice from sticking.  When done, remove the bay leaf and serve in a bowl or on serving platter, family style or individually, whatever your preference.  The most important thing is to enjoy!

Thank You for taking the time to view my humble pantry meal Jambalaya.  I realize, once more, that mine is more of a stew, but, I used what I had on hand, and I did have all of the required spices to rank it up there with a Jambalaya, just not a true, traditional one.  

Now, Thanks for your viewership, your time and you Know how much I appreciate you.  So, Go Cook Something For Someone You Love!

Maybe Jambalaya!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook