Game Hens with Cranberry, Chipotle, Adobo Sauce

These game hens were a hit in our family for an early Thanksgiving Celebration 

The hot, sweet, smoky sauce is a delicious variation from the traditional turkey with stuffing, during the holidays.

Ingredients

4 large game hens

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

3 strips of bacon fried and crumbled with drippings reserved

2 or 3 Chipotle Chilis
and
4 Tablespoons juice from a small can of Chipotle Chilis in Adobo Sauce.

1/3 cup lime juice

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup Red Wine

1 cup honey

1/2 cup onion chopped

1 cup cranberries

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Fry bacon and reserve drippings in pan.  Saute onions in drippings until tender.  Add all of remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cranberries are tender.  Blend ingredients together (the first time I made this, I didn't blend the sauce... you can tell by the picture.  It was still tasted wonderful, but it looked so much prettier the second time I made it when the sauce was blended together).

Prepare game hens for baking by rubbing each one with softened butter and salt and pepper.

Place on roasting pan, and roast about about 20 minutes.  

Remove hens and baste with juice.  Drizzle with sauce and return to oven  for approximately 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.

Remove from oven, baste with sauce and drippings from pan . Let hens rest about 10 minutes.  

Cut your birds in half (or serve whole for a hungry man) and place on serving platter. Garnish with  crumbled bacon and herbs .

Serves 4- 8

Bon Appetite

Pueblo Green Chili

Cooler days, always stir up our families' love for soups and chilies.  Around here, there is a recipe that can be found in almost every home with its own variation.  It is called "Green Chili" I have had "Green Chili" in New Mexico, and a few other places, but I do truly love "Pueblo Green Chili" the best.

We have made happy memories over the last 24 years, by picking our chilis every fall.  Even Russell, Olga and Eddie have adapted to, and seem to enjoy our little ritual,  though they are not really chili fans.  For some reason, we often went on Sundays after Church.  We would drive out to the farms,  pay for our chilis by the bushel, and take our bushel buckets to the field, where we would pick and fill our buckets and then bring them back in to be roasted.  Of course I might add; there was always the family argument..... well marital argument as to whether we should have more or less "hot" chilis than the year before.  My husband is a hot chili fan and I am a mild chili fan.  The victors seemed to change every year, but either way, it was a happy day.  While our chilis were roasting we would browse and purchase whatever other veggies we wanted.  Then we would take all home and have a green chili feast.

For this Green Chili Recipe click here or see below.

They look like this when you pick them.

Then they go into a roaster, where the skins are fire roasted.  If you don't have access to a roaster like this, you can always throw them on the barbecue grill, or under the broiler in the oven.  We have done it all three ways.  Be sure to get them good and black and proceed the same as you would like this.

They start out nice and green, then the fire hits them as they turn...

... and they start to roast;

 Until all the skins blister and become dark and almost black.

Bring them home in a large plastic bag, so they can steam as a lovely aroma fills the car.

At home, you slip the skins off and scrape the seeds out.

Put into foodsaver bags or ziplock bags.

Steve did all of these for me this time.  He's awesome.

Then mark the date and put into the freezer.

We even got some fire roasted tomatoes this year.  They go great in the Green Chili.

1 Beef or Pork Roast or chops or 2-3 cups Chicken meat : cubed in small cubes

1 medium onion

2 small cans diced tomatoes

chopped green chilis to taste 1/2 quart or more

2 cans chicken broth (14 - 16 oz each)

water

salt and pepper to taste

cornstarch or flour to thicken

Eat with

Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Flour Tortillas

Pinto Beans or Refried Beans

Tortilla Chips

Enchiladas

Bean or Beef Burritos

Brown meat in 1-2 tablespoons oil in large stock pot.  Add onions,  tomatoes,  chilis, broth, water and seasoning.  (I usually add enough water to create a nice soup... flexibility is the name of the game).  Simmer on low a couple of hours until meat is tender and broth is flavorful.  Thicken with cornstarch or flour.  This can also simmer in the crockpot for the day.

This is delicious as a soup, with cheddar cheese sprinkled on top, or over burritos, enchiladas, corn chips or pinto beans..... any which way you have its goooooood.


For an up-dated version of this recipe, click here.  

Saddle Bag Sandwiches

So now it is time to tell who our mystery guest was, and whether he ever got here or not.  His name is Michael Martine Murphy  along with our friend, Donna.  He is to become our neighbor for a short season, because he is going to rent our little house next door while he and his wife build their house here in our area.  He did finally come; but a few changes in the meal plan were necessary.  and the now compacted schedule of too many things combined from 2 days into 1, our "get together" had to be shortened somewhat.   This was our final menu:

Lunch

Saddle Bag Sandwiches

Chili Rellenos Casserole, sliced, warmed and wrapped

Spring mix salad with apples, sugared walnuts etc. ; placed into disposable tupperware

Cranberry walnut vinaigrette in tiny jar

Tres Leches Cake cut and wrapped

plastic forks, 

paper napkins

bottled water

Saddle Bag Sandwiches

When Steve was young and when he would help his Grandfather work cows for the day, they would always pack a lunch for a day in the mountains. The best part  of that lunch was what was referred to as the saddlebag sandwich.  It was the perfect sandwich, made with homemade bread and left over meat from dinner the night before.  There is something about that hearty fresh bread, and delicious slices of  Roast Beef or Chicken that just makes this sandwich unforgettable 

Here is what makes a great saddlebag sandwich;

Sliced homemade bread

Sliced homemade roast beef

Fresh sliced tomatoes (actually a true saddlebag sandwich probably wouldn't include tomatoes, because they would turn everything to mush in the saddlebag, but you and I can just slice them up and put them in a separate container to be added just before eating.

Fresh lettuce

Mayonnaise

Put it all together as is customary.  Wrap in wax paper; I like to wrap sandwiches in wax paper; it  reminds me of the days when we were young before saran wrap or ziplock bags... something sweet about it.

Chili Relleno Casserole

Here is a family favorite that is a wonderful main dish, but I also often serve it as a side with Roast Beef, or with Mexican food.   I usually make a huge batch, because it goes fast.  You can cut the recipe in half if you would like, or make two smaller pans; One for dinner and one for the freezer.... but I always just make the one big ol pan, and it is never too much. 
Chili Relleno Casserole

2 and 1/2 pounds whole green chilies or approximately 24 whole chillies (a little more or less is okay) Update: I just made this with store bought green chills and this is how many I used 2  27 oz cans whole green chills (this is a little over 3 pounds total).

2 pounds Cheddar  or Monterrey Jack Cheese (8 cups), shredded

18 eggs

1 and 1/2 cup milk
1 and 1/2 cup  half and half
1/2 cup flour

sour cream

Layer chilies and cheese in a greased 10 x 14 casserole or lasagna pan.  (Lay the chilies out open and flat , side by, then cover with cheese).  Repeat a second layer.  In a mixing bowl, whip eggs, flour and milk, together;  I usually use a hand held blender, which , I think, does the best job;  Pour  this over the cheese and green chilies.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and firm.

Cut into  squares and serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or salsa.

  Lay first layer of chills down like this; but add more to fill in the gaps.

...then cover with first layer of cheese.

Add a second layer of chilies, and then a final layer of cheese.

In a large bowl, put eggs, flour and milk....

Blend with hand held blender or mixer until well blended.

Pour egg mixture over cheese and chilis.

  Bake at 350 degrees for about 50  minutes; or until puffy, lightly browned  and  firm.

Cut into  squares 

Serve with sour cream.
 Enjoy.