One thing I enjoy about being retired is having enough time to research recipes to prepare meals that go beyond the “heat and eat” realm.

Problem. It’s difficult for me to stand for more than a minute or so at a time. The challenge? Find recipes that can be put together relatively quickly without a lot of muss and fuss. We will rely heavily on the “set and forget” features of the slow cooker.

Therefore, from time to time in this space, I’ll share a recipe I found that meets the basic requirements of being easy to prepare without a lot of standing in one place.

We begin with:

SLOW COOKER CORNISH HENS WITH BACON

Get yourself a couple cornish game hens, 4 or 5 red potatoes, a couple strips of bacon sliced into 1-inch pieces, 1 Tbsp of canola oil, lemon pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Make sure you’ve patted the hens dry before you add them to the oil or you might burn your kitchen down. Brown the hens. Slice the potatoes and put ’em in the bottom of a 5 qt. slow cooker. Add the browned hens to the cooker atop the potatoes and cover with the bacon pieces. Sprinkle with the lemon pepper and garlic powder.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with the veggie of your choice.

The hens will be fall-apart tender, so avoid choking on the little rib bones. You will need tiny, nimble fingers if you are going to fight over the wishbone.

And good luck keeping the cats off the table.