HENS AND STUFFING:

• ⅔ cup chopped fresh cranberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3½ cups toasted raisin bread cubes (see Tips below)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• Four 1¼ pound Cornish game hens
• salt
• canola or vegetable oil

BASTING SAUCE:

• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, salt and cinnamon. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle with melted butter and orange juice. Toss lightly to mix.
• Season the cavities of the hens with salt. Lightly stuff the birds with the cranberry mixture. Pull the neck skin to the back of each bird and fasten securely with a small skewer. Tie the legs to the tail, twisting the wing tips under the back.
• Place the Cornish hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the hens with cooking oil, cover loosely with foil. Roast the hens for about 30 minutes.
• Combine the basting ingredients. Uncover the birds and baste with the orange juice mixture. Roast, uncovered, until done (a drumstick will twist easily when done), about 1 hour longer. Baste once or twice with the orange juice mixture while cooking.

• To toast bread cubes, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cubes of bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cubes are crisp and toasted.
• For the nutritional information, you will notice that it's quite high. This is taking into account that you will eat all of the meat and skin of a single hen. You likely won't do that. It also includes all of the basting ingredients, whereas much of that drips off the hen while roasting.