Tropical Stuffed Cornish Hens

Description
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients

 * 4 x 12 to 16-ounce Cornish hens, thawed
 * 1 x 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits, packed in juice
 * 1 x 12-ounce jar red pepper jelly*
 * 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
 * 1 cup chopped onion
 * 4 cups cooked brown rice
 * ¾ cup currants
 * ¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts
 * ½ cup chicken broth
 * 1 to 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger

Directions

 * 1) Remove giblet packet from Cornish hens; rinse hens with cool water. Drain; set aside.
 * 2) Drain pineapple well reserving juice. Place juice in small saucepan with jelly. Heat over low heat until jelly melts, stirring occasionally.
 * 3) Cook onion in butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until tender.
 * 4) Add rice, reserved pineapple, currants, nuts, broth and ginger; heat thoroughly.
 * 5) Spoon about ⅔ cup mixture into cavity of each hen. Use wooden picks, soaked in water, to enclose filling.
 * 6) Place hens breast side up in roasting pan on rack coated with cooking spray.
 * 7) Baste with jelly mixture.
 * 8) Roast at 400 °F for 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 °F continue roasting 1 hour or until internal temperature registers 180 °F to 185 °F, basting every 30 minutes with jelly mixture.
 * 9) Cover remaining stuffing and bake during last 30 minutes of cooking time.
 * 10) Cut hens in half and serve with remaining rice.