Roast chicken is a typical Sunday dinner in our home, but this weekend I was lucky enough to make pheasant given to me by a friend who knows I love wild game.  This recipe for Roasted Illinois Scottish Pheasants with Dates and Apricots from my go-to cooking site, Epicurious, turned out beautifully and would work just as well with a butterflied turkey breast.  The dates cook down and soften into this amazing melt in your mouth sugary goodness while the apricots and lime juice add the prefect amount of brightness and acidity to the dish.  Wild rice would have been my starch of choice, but the heaping portion of plain buttered white rice was the peace offering to my children who were not only trying something new but were also being served sauteed spinach with pine nuts.

Eric, if you are reading this, thank you and feel free to drop by after a hunt any time – my kitchen is always open.  Next time you’ll have to stay for dinner!