Good Food: Cheddar Cornmeal Muffins

Here's a first for this blog -- an ode to cornmeal muffins. I use the recipe for Easy Corn Bread that is found on the back of the Quaker yellow cornmeal round box. It goes like this:

1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites or 1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 8 or 9 inch pan. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in milk, oil and egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm. Makes 9 servings.

Okay, that's the basic recipe. Here's what I do to accomplish my Cheddar Cornmeal Muffins:

++ I make muffins, not cornbread, this way.

++ I use vintage muffin pans that my Dad and I found at an antique dealer's shop in Fond du Lac years ago. These are different than the pecan tassie size pans and well worth the search for them. Stamped "NU-BRITE," one pan makes nine muffins. So, two pans use this recipe and make 18 smallish muffins.

++ I use fresh buttermilk when I have it. Or stir 2-4 tablespoons of yogurt into the skim milk for some extra probiotic punch.

++ I use Magic Baking Powder which I buy in Canada. Magic BP doesn't use aluminum sulfate. It has monocalcium phosphate in it as well as bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) and cornstarch. Bob's Red Mill has a non aluminum baking powder, too.

++ I use CSA eggs whenever possible. Usually I use a whole egg that's been beaten with a fork so that the white and yolk are well mixed.

++ I use Pam spray -- the canola version, I think.

++ I use either canola oil or (our favorite) melted butter -- the fresher the butter, the better.

++ I use a skimpy 1/4 cup of sugar. Remember that by baking yourself, you are not taking in the corn sweetners used in most commercial baked goods.

++ I use coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese, about one cup, that is stirred in at the end of the mixing process. We like Wisconsin cheddar. Use sharp or extra sharp for flavor that you can find.

++ One more thing -- these muffins are good with a generous grinding of black pepper, probably a half teaspoon or more, right in the batter. Add with the dry ingredients.

These are good straight from the oven. You don't even need butter on them. A bit of homemade jam (raspberry suggested) is great. Freeze the leftovers. Microwave the frozen muffins for 30 seconds and they're great with strong coffee or your favorite tea.

Photo Copyright 2011
Wanda Hayes Eichler