Jalapeño Corn Muffins

These moist, spicy muffins are great with breakfast but we also serve them with soup and salads. Or we sometimes make tiny one and fill them with Tarragon Chicken Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Red Grapes or Foster’s Pimiento Cheese Spread to serve as hors d’oeuvres.

Makes 1 Dozen Muffins

1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) grated Cheddar cheese

Kernels from 1 ear fresh corn (½ cup fresh or frozen corn)

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

3 scallions, trimmed and minced

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Line 12 large muffin cups with paper liners and spray the top part of the pan lightly with vegetable oil spray.

3. Toss together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.

4. Mix together the buttermilk, eggs, butter, and sour cream in a separate bowl and blend well.

5. Add the cornmeal mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moist and blended. Do not overmix.

6. Fold in the cheese, corn, jalapeño, and scallions.

7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan with a large ice cream scoop (1/3-cup scoop). The natter will come to the top of the paper liner or pan.

8. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins have risen, the tops spring back when pressed lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

9. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Turn the muffins out of the pan and serve immediately.