Golden Corn Muffins

This recipe celebrates the wholesomeness of corn and the substantial artesan flours found in better markets today.

This is not a whimpy cornbread recipe! My corn muffins are sturdy, rustic and earthy. They compliment stews, soups, and one-dish-meals perfectly.

1 1/2 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

approx. 1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line muffin tins with paper cups. In a medium bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, and sugar. Break the eggs into a (at least 1 cup measure) glass measuring cup. Mix well with a fork, and add enough milk to the eggs to measure 1 cup total. Stir the eggs and milk to blend. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add in the melted butter. Stir to blend, but stop blending as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated. You may have some small lumps, that's okay.

Scoop or spoon the batter into 8 muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve hot with melted butter and honey.

Makes 8 muffins.

*Notes:

I prefer to make my own paper muffin liner cups (see the photo above). Cut parchment paper into 6" squares and force down into the muffin pans, pleating and folding the paper. Doing this allows more batter per muffin cup, (it'll make only 6 muffins) plus gives that "bakery" look.
These muffins are just begging for add-ins. Just stir 1/3 cup of goodies into the dry ingredients before you add the liquid. Here are some suggestions to mix/match and get you started:
- cooked bacon bits
- chopped ham
- diced pepperoni
- shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
- salsa
- red and green peppers
- fresh corn kernels
- diced tomato
- green onions
- crumbled, cooked sausage
How not to "mess up" this recipe:
- Don't over-mix the batter. As with all quick breads, we want a tender product. A light hand will ensure that.
- Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. They will rise up and over the top of the pan.

With the insurgence of quality, coarsely ground flours in markets today, there is no desire remaining for those packaged mixes which produce flat tasting muffins or cornbread. My recipe whips up just as quickly and the flavor is.....well......much better!