Thursday, February 17, 2011

Cheddar Corn Muffins


While finishing edits on LOST AND FONDUE, I had the craving for bread. That might not sound like a big deal to most of you, but for a gluten-free person it is. Sure, I make all sorts of sweet breads and gooey desserts. For some reason gluten doesn't affect the baking textures in these items (for me). (As a girl, I was always a baker. I baked pies, cakes, cookies. You name it, and I sold them around the neighborhood. No one died...well, not from my cooking...as far as I know).


But making gluten-free bread can be a bit of a long shot. It doesn't always turn out right. I've found most gluten-free pizza breads turn out great. I think that's because gluten-free bread items naturally become a little hard (not a good quality if you're after soft, squishy bread). So after pondering, I thought...muffins. I'd settle for a corn muffin. With cheese.


Searching my old recipes, I stumbled across a cheddar corn muffin recipe. Note: some people who can't eat gluten can't eat corn either, and I'm very very sorry. That has got to be tough because whatever wheat isn't it...corn is. Corn syrup, corn starch. So be careful and know that most of my gluten-free recipes don't include corn.


The recipe was good, but I wanted to tweak it, and it turned out delicious. I made mini-muffins and large muffins, and both were nice and soft on the inside with a zip to the flavor. They went perfectly with soup, which was my aim. Remember I made that luscious soup with shrimp a few weeks ago and, well, next week, I'm sharing a love affair with soup, so...these muffins are a perfect accompaniment.



CHEDDAR CORN MUFFINS

Ingredients:

(makes 12 muffins or 24 mini-muffins)

5 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups cornmeal, stone-ground

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup corn (medium ear yields ½ cup) (frozen may be used, but make sure drained)

1 1/8 cup milk

1 teaspoon lemon

1 egg

2 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In large microwavable bowl, melt the butter. Add the cornmeal, spices, corn, milk, lemon, egg and cheese. Mix well.

Pour into greased muffin tins (12 large or 24 mini).

Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. (Minis take about 15 minutes.)


If you want soft, gooey, gluten-free sweet stuff, here are a few links for other items (from me and my alter ego Daryl Wood Gerber).






Banana Bread (picture has chocolate chips added)



Brownies (regular)









*******

A SNEAK PREVIEW and BOOK TRAILER of LOST AND FONDUE is now up on my website. Click here. If you'd like to know more about A Cheese Shop Mystery series and want to download a few other recipes from me (on recipe cards), click on this link to my website: Avery Aames. I've posted recipes in the "morsels" section. There's lots of other fun stuff, as well.

And sign up for the mailing list to get in on the next contest...coming every two weeks as I approach the launch of L&F in May. Mary B. and Caitlyn H. just won.

Say cheese!


20 comments:

  1. These sound good, Avery! I'm a sucker for savory breads to go with soups. These sound like they'd be ideal to go with tomato soup (one of my favorites).

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  2. Avery - these are great! I know my family is going to love these and I'm looking forward to trying them all, especially the muffins! Great post!

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  3. These look wonderful! I love that you've worked hard to find recipes that get that soft texture. And...wow, it would be so unfair to be allergic to both wheat AND corn.

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  4. Avery these muffins look scrumptious I knew I should have waited till after breakfast to visit today. The family will love these muffins, the breads look great too. I will be baking a lot this weekend I will add these to it.

    Thanks

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  5. Shel ~ I'm a sucker, too.

    Julie ~ I figured the vegetarian in your family would enjoy.

    Elizabeth ~ I'm with you. Wheat and corn? How about dairy wheat and corn (oh, yeah, there are those). Add nuts and I'd run screaming! (Oh, wait, I am allergic to nuts...as of last year...but that's another story.)

    ~Avery

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  6. Babs ~ Isn't it funny how we have to time the reading of our blogs? Before breakfast, right before going to the grocery, before dinner? Planning. It's all about planning. LOL

    ~Avery
    AveryAames.com

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  7. These look great, Avery. I plan to bake them this weekend. I don't have a problem with gluten, but a good friend does, so I sent her the recipe!

    Thanks,
    Edith
    http://edithmaxwell.blogspot.com

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  8. These sound really good! I especially like the addition of fresh corn. I'm sure that helps up the corn flavor and helps keep the muffin moist.

    I have some friends who need to be gluten free and this recipe will really help them out. Thanks!

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  9. Edith and Harbingerdc ~ so glad I could help out you gluten-free friends. The world has become so much more aware of the issue and there are tons of good recipes and products now. Yeah!

    Enjoy!
    Avery
    AveryAames.com
    @AveryAames
    facebook

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  10. While I am not gluten intolerant, I am diabetic and I have discovered that my blood sugars (and my appetite) stay in much better control if I avoid gluten as much as possible. So I have discovered gluten free crackers (Blue diamond Pecan crackers are my hands down favorite!), gluten free cereals, etc. I tend to avoid bread for the most part but every now and then, I just have to have some toast! I do choose whole and multigrain breads though. I was sitting at my computer looking for recipes for the gluten free Bisquick I bought and I think I'll make some scones, then maybe I'll make some muffins. I'll let you know how they turn out.~ Nurse JudyMac

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  11. Sounds delicious...you are so clever!

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  12. Nurse Judy, how interesting that gluten-free helps a diabetic. I've found that this diet also helps those with irritable bowel and I'm asking my stepdaughter to put her son on it to see if it'll help with his concentration and focus. Don't you love that Bisquick and now even Betty Crocker are coming out with gluten-free products? So much easier than it was 10-12 years ago!

    Best,

    ~Avery

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  13. Erika, I'm not sure I'm clever. I'm scouring the Internet for new and different recipes that include cheese. LOL. It just so happens that I can make so many things gluten-free that it add another angle to a cheese dish.

    [But thanks for the compliment.]

    Best,

    Avery
    AveryAames.com

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  14. I bet these are wonderful. One of my Texan friends always added corn to her cornbread. It made such a difference! The cheddar must impart a wonderful zestiness. I can only imagine how good they must be. Yum!

    ~ Krista

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  15. A timely post Avery... I was making Chicken Pasta soup tonight, decided these would go well with it. SO.. As I type, they are in the oven... If they work well, i will blog them this weekend... If not, well...

    I followed your recipe pretty close (extra corn... I like extra corn in my muffins)

    I ended up with 36 mini muffins... either I added WAY too much corn, or mine are smaller than yours.

    But, every girl I ever dated assured me that size doesn't matter... we will see ;)

    GREAT POST!

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  16. Ah, Dave, too funny. And every girl was right. :) But...hmmm, back to the recipe. Maybe your mini muffin pan is smaller than mine? I did fill the cups to the brim and there is one "large" muffin on that plate at the rear, to show the difference in size. More importantly, how did they taste?

    Krista, I loved the cheddar in these muffins. I think the cheese had a lot to do with the added moisture.

    ~Avery

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  17. Banana Bread one of my fav dishes. yum and delicious.

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  18. Great post and big congrats on the Agatha nomination, Avery!

    ~ Cleo

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  19. My friend, thank you so much... just did my post of your muffin recipe... thanks again for all your help

    Dave

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  20. When are you writing your gluten free cookbook???
    Marilyn

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