Showing posts with label slow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label slow. Show all posts
Monday, March 31, 2014
SANDRA’S SLOW COOKER HERB and MEYER LEMON CORNISH GAME HENS
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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... |
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Daves Linguine and Slow Simmered Meat Sauce
Two Sunday nights in a row, Nan has been treated to dinner at my brothers house and was joyously relieved of her weekly hospitality duties. Last Sunday night was the Super Bowl and this week served double duty as a Valentines Day celebration and Nans birthday dinner (her birthday is actually Tuesday). Dave, my brother, has been talking smack about his meat sauce for ages but this was my first opportunity to determine whether it lived up to his self created hype. It did. Honestly, it was one of the best (1st place has to go to Nan) meat sauces I have ever been fortunate enough to eat, including those from Italian restaurants from fine dining to fast food! Believe it or not, however, after showering him with accolades, when I asked if I could take a small container of this wonderful sauce, from the bath tub sized vat he had prepared, I was flatly denied. So much for sibling hospitality. Be that as it may, the recipe for this sauce, which was previously kept secret, is being printed here for me and the world to make, eat and share as much as we want!
In a large stock pot or dutch oven saute the a small bunch of fresh chopped Italian parsley, fresh chopped basil leaves and 5 minced cloves of garlic in olive oil for about 3-4 minutes. Add 1 large can of whole Italian tomatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes after mashing them with a potato masher.
Meanwhile, in a seperate skillet, saute 1 small diced onion, 1lb of ground beef, and 1/2 lb of ground pork. Drain any excess grease from the meat and pork and add the meat and onion mixture to the stock pot with the simmering tomatoes. Deglaze the skillet with a little bit of red wine to release any brown bits which developed fom sauteing the beef and pork and add to the stock pot, as well.
Next, add 1 small can of unseasoned tomato sauce and 1 1/2 jars of Prego (Yikes, again with the Prego. Like mother, like son.) and several chopped slices of pepperoni. Allow it to simmer for 1-2 hours and serve immediately. Even better, however, is to let it cool, refrigerate overnight, reheat and serve the next day!
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