Orange and Rosemary Cornish Hens

Ingredients:

2 Cornish hens (about 1 lb. each)

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

2 tbsp orange marmalade

1 tbsp apricot preserves

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 an orange, for juice and zest

1 lemon, for juice and zest

1 tsp rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tbsp butter, unsalted, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.  Clean hens then place breast side up in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper; add chicken broth or water to bottom of pan.  Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients except for the butter; pour mixture over top of chicken.  Place a 1/2 tbsp pat of butter on top of each hen.  Roast hens for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink.  Throughout cooking time (at least twice), remove hens from oven and baste in orange rosemary mixture. 

Note: My picture shows a beautifully cooked hen except for one MAJOR problem… I accidentally placed it in the roasting pan breast side down!!!  Although it was still cooked perfectly, that lusciously crispy and flavorful skin was on the wrong side of the bird.  Oops… I guess we can’t always have kitchen perfection :)