REENI’S CORN PUDDING MUFFINS, ADAPTED

Reeni, from Cinnamon & Spice blog, recently posted her very own recipe for Green Tomato Corn Muffins. She declared them the best corn muffins ever. Well, I thought I had developed my own
very best corn muffin recipe, but I love Reeni’s blog. She has creative recipes and I consider her to be a great cook. So I had to try her recipe, with my own tweaks, of course.

Both hubby and I loved Reeni’s muffins. They are a different kind of corn muffin than my fave, so I don’t consider them to be in competition with each other. One is moist, tender and full of corn flavor, and the other is more like a corn pudding with zing. Both are a 10 in my book. Thanks, Reeni, for another great recipe.

Reeni’s Corn Pudding Muffins Adapted from cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.blogspot.com Rating: 10 out of 10 Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp. Smart Balance buttery spread, or butter or oil of choice 1-1/2 cups diced veggies (I used roasted hatch chile peppers + 2 jalapenos + 1 ear corn) 1/2 cup diced onions 2 Tbsp. cream, milk or half and half 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose, if preferred) 1 cup whole-grain cornmeal (or regular cornmeal, if preferred) 1 Tbsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt 3 Tbsp. SB or butter 2-1/2 Tbsp. honey 2 eggs (I used large) 1/2 cup milk (I used 1%) 1 cup lite sour cream (or yogurt) 1 cup Monterey Jack with Jalapeno cheese, coarsely grated If you choose to roast the chile peppers, as I did, you can put them in the oven under the broiler and turn them till the skins blacken all around, or place them directly on a hot charcoal grill and do the same . After the skins are well blackened, transfer chilies to a brown paper bag and close it up. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then you should be able to easily peel and chop the chilies. You can also put the chilies in a bowl with plastic wrap over it to cool if you don’t want to use a paper bag. Don’t roast the jalapenos, just the hatch chilies or whatever other larger, chile you might want to use. If you want, you can also roast the ear of corn before you scrape it. Roasting intensifies the flavors and is well worth the extra trouble. If you don’t have the time to roast the veggies, just sauté them with the onions. Heat oven to 400F. In a large heavy skillet, sauté onion in SB till transparent over medium heat. Stir in chile peppers, jalapenos and scraped corn, or other veggie of choice. (Reeni used green tomatoes, which she sautéed with the onions.) Add cream and continue to stir over medium heat till liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, microwave SB, covered, using high heat for about 30 seconds, or till almost melted. Stir in honey; cool slightly. Whisk in eggs, milk, and sour cream, beating well. Add dry ingredients and cheese all at once, mixing lightly with a big spoon or spatula just till barely combined. Do not over mix. Bake in greased muffin cups about 20 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns clean. Yield: about 12 muffins

FAVORITE CORN MUFFINS

Recently, we had hot dogs, chili and corn muffins for dinner. I've made some pretty decent corn muffins in the past, but this time, I think I've topped them all. No, I didn't add berries, bacon or nuts. Instead, I sauteed onions in Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, then added fresh scraped corn kernels with their milk and some fat-free half and half. I cooked this down a bit, cooled it, then added it to the corn muffin batter. These were the bomb! The sauteed onions and the creamed corn together brought these muffins over the top. Besides the outstanding flavor, the texture of this muffin is soft, tender and moist. These are now my favorite corn muffins; and, though they're a bit more work than opening a box of corn muffin mix, they are oh, so worth it. You can double this recipe to get 18 muffins, or make it as is for about 9 standard, or 6 standard + 12 minis.

Favorite Corn Muffins
Source: Judy's Kitchen
Rating: 10 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. solid + 4 Tbsp. melted, cooled Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend (or butter or olive oil), divided use
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onions
1 ear fresh corn, kernels and milk scraped clean in two stages (first the kernels, then the milk)
2 Tbsp. + 1/4 cup fat-free half and half (or milk or cream), divided use
3/4 cup Ultra-Grain flour (or all-purpose)
1/4 cup regular cornmeal (not whole grain)
1/2 cup whole-grain cornmeal
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 large or jumbo egg
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. lite sour cream

In medium skillet, over medium heat, saute the onions in 1 Tbsp. SB till transparent. Add the corn, corn milk and 2 Tbsp. half and half, and continue to cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, till the mixture is the consistency of a creamed corn. Don't let all the liquid evaporate, but don't let it be too loose. Remove from heat and let cool.

Heat oven to 475F. Spray 9 standard muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray (or 6 standard cups + 12 mini). Combine flour, cornmeals, baking powder and salt in small bowl. In medium bowl, whisk egg, sugar, and melted, cooled 4 Tbsp. SB till smooth. Whisk in sour cream and
1/4 cup H&H till again smooth. Stir in dry ingredients all at once and gently mix with spoon or spatula, just till barely combined. Fold in corn and onion mixture and don't worry about lumps. Do not overmix. Divide batter among muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup for standard muffins and about 1-1/2 Tbsp. for minis. Place muffins in oven, close door, and immediately reduce heat to 400F. Bake about 12 min. for minis, about 15 min. for standards, or till toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. These will not brown, so be sure to test them before you think they're done. Transfer muffins to wire rack and cool in pans 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling or serve immediately.

Muffins are easy to freeze -- just put them in a plastic container and pull one out when you want one -- nuke it for 20-30 seconds and let sit for 1 minute, then serve. Or wrap in tinfoil and place on grill or in oven alongside your other items.

CHEESE, CORN & BACON CORN MUFFINS

Eddie Browning, who writes the food column for the New Bern Sun Journal, recently had a recipe for corn bread with smoked cheese and chilies. I loved the idea of chilies and cheese, but I prefer muffins, because I like to freeze the leftovers. Cornbread works better when you have a crowd and it will be eaten up the day you make it.

I halved the recipe, and played with it a little. I wanted some fresh corn in it, and I wanted to try evaporated milk for a flavor change. Instead of smoked cheese, which I didn't have, I used Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers, which I did have. I also wanted bacon in the muffins. I had a can of chilies in the pantry, but didn't want to open it for the little bit this recipe would use. So instead, I used some of the pickled peppers that Guy bought at the olive bar recently and chopped them.

First off, let me say that these muffins were delicious -- moist, tender, full of flavor. But not corn flavor. There wasn't a strong corn muffin flavor, and I'm blaming the evaporated milk. Since I bit into the muffin expecting a corn taste, I was a little let down. I also didn't taste any heat from the jalapeno peppers or the pickled peppers. Maybe the chilies would have been a better way to go. I was really wanting a kick from these muffins, so there was the second letdown. I'm going to give you the recipe, because I think it could be a good one. You can make it as is, or you can play with it and make it better. If you want to look at some other really good corn muffin recipes, try my other three higher-rated recipes.

Before I give you the recipe, let me share with you how I cook bacon. I line a cookie sheet with tinfoil, then place a wire rack over the foil, and lay the bacon strips on the rack. Into the oven (400F) for about 20-25 minutes, or till very crispy. I turn the strips over and spread them better, half way through, after they've shrunk. When they're done, I lay them on several thicknesses of papers towels to drain off any excess fat. When the fat that drains into the foil hardens, I fold up the tinfoil and discard it, fat and all. The rack washes easily.

Cheese, Corn & Bacon Corn Muffins

Adapted from Eddie Browning's Corn Bread with Smoked Cheese and Chilies

Rating: 7 out of 10

INGREDIENTS: 4-1/2 Tbsp. Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend

1 ear fresh corn, shaved and husk scraped

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal

1/2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (or regular milk)

1 Tbsp. honey

1 large egg

1/4 cup grated cheese of choice

1 Tbsp. chilies, chopped

1/4 cup crisp cooked and crumbled bacon

Preheat oven to 450F. Spray 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In small skillet, saute the corn and scrapings in 1/2 Tbsp. SB over medium heat, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In large bowl, combine salt, peppers, flour, cornmeal, baking powder and sugar, whisking well. In small saucepan, combine remaining SB, milk and honey and heat till SB melts. Cool slightly.

Add egg to cooled milk mixture, whisking till frothy. Stir into flour mixture with spoon just till barely combined. Stir in cheese, chilies and bacon and cooled corn. Spoon into a 6-cup muffin tin, distributing batter evenly among the cups.

Place muffins in oven and immediately reduce heat to 375F. Bake about 18 minutes, or till muffins test done when a toothpick is inserted near center. Transfer to wire rack to cool or serve immediately. Yield: 6 muffins

CORN & ONION BUTTERMILK MUFFINS

Here is a wonderfully moist and flavorful corn muffin recipe. I used Basic Corn Muffins, on allrecipes.com as my base recipe, and adapted it. The addition of onions and applesauce and the subbing of buttermilk for milk makes all the difference in these delicious muffins. But the whole-grain stone-ground cornmeal also adds flavor. Whole-grain cornmeal can be hard to find, and you will have to read labels, but it's, oh, so worth it. (Most of the cornmeal in grocery stores is degerminated, so read package ingredients carefully.)
According to what I read and hear, corn bread and corn muffins are best when baked in iron pans or molds. I've never invested in them, but wish I had, because I do love a good corn muffin. That being said, if you're like me with just regular old muffin tins, you'll be very happy with this recipe.

Corn & Onion Buttermilk Muffins
Adapted from Basic Corn Muffins, allrecipes.com
Rating: 9.5 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. Smart Balance butter spread, or butter or oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners. (I used non-stick cooking spray.) Melt butter in 8" skillet and add onion. Cook over medium-low heat till onions are transparent, about 4-5 minutes; remove from heat and cool slightly.
Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk; set aside.
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl, mixing well. In smaller bowl, whisk egg, oil and applesauce till well combined. Add buttermilk mixture, whisking again till well combined. Stir in onions and dry ingredients with spatula, and only mix till barely combined, leaving lumps, if any.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup batter for each. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with just a few crumbs.
(Note: Baking times are merely guides. You must carefully watch the muffins for signs of doneness. They could be done before 15 minutes, especially if your oven runs hot. There's nothing worse than a dry corn muffin.)

SOUR CREAM CORN MUFFINS

Last night, we had Paula Deen's crab cakes with lemon dill sauce, roasted cherry tomatoes and coleslaw. And I made some delicious sour cream corn muffins.

The roasted tomatoes were easy: just wash & cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half, toss lightly with salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast at 400F for about 15 minutes.

The corn muffins mix up quickly -- you don't even need to get the mixer out for these. They have a touch of sweetness to them -- it's like having dessert with your dinner. And whole grain cornmeal adds unbelievable flavor to these corn muffins. Starting the muffins off at 475F, then lowering the temp right away to 400F, puffs the muffins up and creates a nice crown. Try these -- you won't
be disappointed. Moist, flavorful and delicious -- a great recipe.

Sour Cream Corn Muffins
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal
1/2 cup whole-grain cornmeal (read the labels -- most are degerminated)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. lite sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free half and half
1 jumbo egg

Preheat oven to 475F. Lightly spray a 6-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour and cornmeals. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt butter. Cool slightly; whisk in sugar, sour cream, half and half and egg. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir with spatula just till barely combined. Don't overbeat and don't make it absolutely smooth. Leave some lumps and even a little flour showing. Batter will be thick. Spoon batter evenly into 6 muffin cups. Place in oven and immediately reduce heat to 400F. Bake about 14-17 minutes (Mine took 15 minutes), or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Serve hot with butter or your favorite spread. Yield: 6 standard-size muffins

JUDY'S LOW-FAT CORNY CORN MUFFINS

Corn muffins just go so well with BBQ ribs, chicken or pork. But most corn muffins are dry and tasteless, IMHO. I searched the internet and couldn't quite find the recipe I wanted. So I put together my own. Since I was using self-rising cornmeal, there are fewer ingredients involved, and these mixed up quickly. I actually mixed the batter several hours ahead so I wouldn't have to do it at the last minute. Then about 20 minutes before we ate, I put the batter in the muffin tins and in the oven. These muffins were moist, with really good flavor and I loved the corn kernels inside. This is my go-to corn muffin recipe from now on.

Judy's Low-Fat Corny Corn Muffins

Source: Judy's Kitchen

Rating: 9 out of 10

INGREDIENTS:

1 ear of fresh corn, cooked

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. molasses

1/2 cup sugar (I used 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tsp. Stevia)

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup lite sour cream

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (I used Tenda-Bake white)

Place the ear of corn on the center post of a tube pan or bundt pan (see below) and cut the kernels off. After the kernels are scraped off, use the back of the knife to scrape up and down against the cob to get all the cornstarch out -- there will be quite a bit. When you are done, the cob should be picked clean. Set aside.Preheat oven to 425F. Combine the sour cream and half and half together; set aside. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt the butter. With a whisk, stir in the molasses and sugar and beat well. Beat in the egg, sour cream, half and half and applesauce, combining well. Stir in the cornmeal and corn and mix just till barely combined. Fill 10 muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 13-16 minutes, or till muffins test done with a wooden pick.