SANDRA’S SLOW-COOKER HERB and MEYER LEMON CORNISH GAME HENS

A quick meal to prepare 

starting out with frozen cornish game hens
during mid-morning or at noon on a busy work day

for a quite rewarding dinner...

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 Mins.

Slow-Cook: 6 Hrs. on low

INGREDIENTS (All organic)

Veggies/Hens:

½ red onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped

2 (1.5 lb.) frozen cornish game hens

Drizzle mixture:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 meyer lemon cut in half, juiced, (reserve juiced halves)

2 tablespoons quality white wine

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Side option:

-- Sandra’s Flavorful Steamed Basmati Rice and Herbs

METHOD

Spread veggies in bottom of 6-quart slow-cooker, and place frozen cornish game hens on top. Whisk the remaining drizzle mixture ingredients in a small bowl, and drizzle over hens.  Place the reserved (pre-squeezed) lemon halves next to hens in slow-cooker.

Slow-cook, covered, on low heat for 6 hours, or until the legs begin to fall away from hens, (or when the temperature of the breast meat reaches 160 degrees).

If making, start preparing the Flavorful Steamed BasmatiRice and Herbs about 30 minutes prior to serving your meal.

To crisp skin: Preheat the oven broiler. Line a 9”x13” baking pan with foil and spray with olive oil. Toss the lemon halves.  Carefully remove hens using two large spatulas and place them on the prepared baking dish.

Place baking dish in the oven under the broiler for about 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and skin is crisp. Allow hens to rest after removing them from the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

To serve, cut the hens down the middle, serve with the prepared basmati rice and herbs, along with steamed vegetables removed with a slotted spoon from slow-cooker. ~ Enjoy.


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Tips:  If you wish to make a gravy from the drippings keep it hot in the slow-cooker.  Skim excess oil from the top with a spoon (or use a gravy/oil separator), and  make a slurry by whisking 2 tablespoons of cold water with 1 tablespoon of corn starch in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in slurry until gravy has thickened.


You can also do the same with a 3 lb. whole chicken, although thaw it first so you are able to remove the giblets and neck from cavity, then be sure to place the lemon halves inside cavity before cooking.

SANDRA’S OVER-THE-TOP MEYER-LEMONTINI

A refreshing,
must-try Meyer-Lemontini
you're sure to enjoy 
(made with my home-
grown meyer lemons)...

Servings: (1)

Prep: 10 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Cocktail:

2 ozs. Stolichnaya Vodka
--(aka Stolies; Russian Vodka)

½ oz. Triple Sec

½ teaspoon superfine sugar

¾ oz. freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

Rimming:

Superfine sugar

Meyer lemon zest

Garnish

Superfine sugar

--Kitchen torch

METHOD

Cut one ½ slice meyer lemon to reserve for garnish, and set aside.

Cut a small wedge of meyer lemon to rim glass, and set aside.

Place superfine sugar and zest of meyer lemon on a saucer, and set aside.

Reserve the remaining meyer lemon to squeeze for the cocktail. 

Create the glazed meyer lemon slice by dipping it on both sides in the sugar/zest mixture, and use a kitchen torch to glaze.

Create a sugar-rimmed glass by taking a meyer lemon wedge and rub the rim of the glass so it is slightly moist. Dip the damp edge of the glass into the sugar/zest.

Mix the Stolichnaya Vodka, Triple Sec, sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes. 

Shake well to make sure sugar is blended, until the outside of shaker begins to frost.  

Pour strained liquor into the prepared sugar/zest-rimmed martini glass and garnish with the glazed meyer lemon wedge.

~ Enjoy, in moderation of course ~ Cheers!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Tips:  If you are using regular lemons instead be sure to increase the superfine sugar to 1 teaspoon in the cocktail, as meyer lemons tend to be sweeter.  


You can also glaze your lemon slice (garnish) by broiling it on a tin foil-lined baking sheet for a couple of minutes if you do not have a kitchen torch.

SANDRA’S MEYER LEMON STIR-FRY CHICKEN over STEAMED RICE

I created this recipe using Meyer Lemons
grown on my indoor dwarf citrus tree.

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins. |
Cook: 15 Mins.
(+ Time to steam rice)

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1 meyer lemon, zested, and juiced

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1” strips

1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms

1 cup diagonally sliced carrots, ¼” thick

1 cup diagonally sliced red bell pepper, ¼” thick

½ cup diagonally sliced onion, ¼” thick

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley

--Prepared steamed brown rice

METHOD

(Prepare steamed rice, so it is ready when stir-fry is completed.)

Grate 1 teaspoon meyer lemon zest and set aside.

My Lovely Indoor-Grown
Meyer Lemons

Juice the meyer lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of juice with broth, soy sauce, honey, and cornstarch in a small bowl. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs.

Add carrots to pan and saute for 1 minute.  Add mushrooms, and bell pepper, and onions to the pan and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, reserved lemon zest, pepper, and reserved chicken and accumulated juices; saute, until fragrant for about 1 minute.

Whisk the broth mixture, and add to pan; stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.  Serve stir-fry over brown steamed rice, and sprinkle with parsley.  Enjoy!