LUCY BURDETTE: Happy February everyone! I love, love, love cornmeal muffins but I've found the ones I made in the past turned out dry, a poor shadow of the muffins from my favorite Connecticut bakery, Four and Twenty Blackbirds. When I spotted this recipe in the food section of the Times, I had to try it. I take no credit for designing this recipe--all of that goes to Melissa Clark in the New York Times food section. I do get credit for noticing how fabulous these muffins sounded, making them myself, and now encouraging you! This is not a dietetic recipe, it's for a special occasion.
Here's what you'll need:
2 sticks butter (yup, that's right, 2)
1 and 1/2 cups flour
2 cups cornmeal
2/3 cups sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons baking powder (I always choose the low-sodium brand)
1/2 tsp salt (I cut this in half from 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream or whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup milk (you might as well use whole)
2 eggs at room temp
Preheat the oven to 400. Put cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
Melt the butter. When it's cool, whisk in the sour cream, milk, and eggs.
In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Drop the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle a bit of coarse sugar on the tops if you like.
In addition to Lucy's Key West food critic mysteries, she's written a thriller called Unsafe Haven!
About Unsafe Haven: A chance meeting on the New York subway leads to the destinies of two very different women becoming intertwined with terrifying consequences in this nerve-jangling thriller.
Sixteen-year-old Addison is on the run. She's leaving her life on New York's streets behind for a new one with Rafe, armed with just his phone number on a scrap of paper. She's taking the subway to meet him in New Jersey. He'll take care of her. Or so she thinks . . .
Elizabeth Brown's world has fallen apart and she's thinking about her newly ex-fiancé. Until she locks eyes with a teenage girl while waiting for the train doors to open, and a bundle is thrust into her arms as she leaves the subway. A baby, wrapped in a dirty coat.
Elizabeth phones the number she finds in the coat pocket. Then wishes she hadn't. Someone wants Addison and the baby. And they'll do whatever it takes to get them . . .
If you'd like a nibble before you buy, read the first chapter here. And if you'd like to read more about the genesis of the book, read this post from Jungle Red Writers.
Ways to buy your copy of UNSAFE HAVEN:
And if this is not in your budget (which I totally get,) you can invite your local library to order a copy!
Oh, those sound heavenly and I will be giving them a try. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
You're very welcome kay!
DeleteI was just looking for a cornbread muffin recipe since I have the same issues you faced. Thanks for saving me the search!
ReplyDeleteHope you love them as much as we do Linda!
DeleteThese do sound like winners!
ReplyDeleteSomehow blueberries are calling to me. Add them in?...
Oh yes, Libby, blueberries would be heavenly!
DeleteOur favorite wintry baked item is apple pie still warm from the oven. I like mine with whipped cream. My husband likes his with ice cream. lnchudej@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteBoth ways sound delish Linda!
DeleteYum! Love cornbread muffins. This looks so good! We enjoy cinnamon apple pie a lot in the winter.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a perfect winter treat!
DeleteI'm not a real fan of corn muffins but this receipe sounds very good. Will try it. conney.parkhurst@gmail.com
ReplyDelete