Plan on 1 hen per adult. Thaw out overnight. Line a baking pan with foil and put a small rack into it. Preheat oven to 350.
Cornish hens (Recipe is for 2 hens, so adjust ingredients if you're making more)
about 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil
about 1/4 to 1/2 cup Cranberry juice (can be a cranberry blend, if you want)
NOTE: Sometimes I'll substitute current or berry jelly or jam for the juice
about 2-3 TB orange marmalade (can be sugar-free)
about 1-2 TB Honey mustard
about 2 tsp fresh snipped rosemary (only use 1 tsp, if it's dried)
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Wash hens and put on the rack in the pan. Sprinkle on all sides with some Kosher salt and pepper. Put the rest of the ingredients into a microwaveable small bowl, whisk and then heat on high for about 1 min. (it should thicken up). Whisk again. This is the glaze that you'll use to baste the hens while they're roasting.
***
STUFFING: This will make enough to completely stuff 2 hens, with enough left over to fill a small casserole dish (not enough stuffing in the hens for a full side dish)
1-2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crumbled (I use Roasted Vegetable or Garlic now, but used to use plain ones before these were available) ~ I only had 1 sleeve left, so also used 3 pieces of soft white bread, crumbled with my hands.
2 stalks celery, small chopped
about 1/4 cup small chopped bell pepper (green, red, yellow or combination)
1/2 cup small chopped white onion
1 egg..........................................................1-2 tsp snipped fresh rosemary
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil.........................1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
(NOTE: you don't need salt in here, because there's enough on the crackers)
Mix all ingredients together (with your hands) in a bowl until mixed together well. Stuff the hens well (jam it in tightly). Put the leftover stuffing into a small casserole dish (I sprayed it with non-stick spray) and press down a little. Sprinkle a little more olive oil on top (or some pats of butter). ** Put into the oven next to the hens, after you flip them over (but take it out before you turn the oven up to 400).
***
I roast the hens with the breasts DOWN first, so that the bottoms get a crispy skin too. Brush with the glaze and roast about 1/2 hour (can baste again during that time). Then flip them over (so they're breast-side up) and roast another 1/2 hour (basting once or twice). *** We like the skin very crispy, so I turned the heat up to 400 and roasted another 10 minutes or so, until the skin turned darker brown. ** Let rest about 5-10 minutes, if you're going to cut them in half.
Truthfully, I just eat 1/2 of a hen, but my husband will eat a whole one, plus my other 1/2, so plan accordingly if you're serving men (or teenage boys) with large appetites!