Easy Elegance for Easter Dinner: Honey-Orange Cornish Hens

If you're looking for a holiday meal that is easy to make but still has that slightly fancy and "extra" feel to it, then I have the perfect recipe for you! All my life, one of the meals my grandmother has often made for Christmas or Easter is Cornish Hens. If you've never eaten one, it's basically a miniature chicken, perfect for one person to eat by themselves. The ones she makes come out not only delicious, but beautiful too! I remember as a kid feeling so special because I had my own bird all to myself LOL! And even as an adult, these petite little roasted chickens still have a "wow factor" about them. I'm sure your family or guests will be wowed by them too!

Ingredients 

- 6 Cornish game hens (about 3/4 lb to 1 lb each)
- 4 cloves of 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
**Optional: an orange slice for the top of each hen**

Instructions

1. Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry. Place the hens in a bowl.
2. Put the garlic and ginger in the food processor and process until nearly smooth.
3. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, and zest, then add the garlic and ginger.
4. Pour the mixture over the hens, coating well.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Place the hens in a shallow roasting pan. Pour marinade on top (add the orange slices here as well, if you are using them) and bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes.
7. Remove hens to a serving platter.
8. Pour cooking juices into a small, heavy saucepan and boil for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Pour this over the hens just before serving. 

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash