Cornbread muffins with bacon, caramelized onions and apples, and a nice warm volcano of goat cheese in the middle.
(There they are, need better camera and better lighting...still learning)
This recipe will please kids and adults alike. Great accompaniment to a traditional bbq (think ribs, kale coleslaw, bbq beans, maybe some chili...oohhhh....yeeeaahhh)
RECIPE: makes 16-20 small-ish "muffs"
Cornbread Muffins:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup fine ground cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar (please don't substitute with your hippy agave nectar or sucanat. I'll punch you, seriously)
1 tblspn Baking Powder
3/4 tblspn salt
2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 egg
-Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder in bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk.
-Combine buttermilk, oil, and egg in a separate bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk.
-Pour wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients bowl, mixing at the same time. If you want to use an electric mixer, turn it on slow, however it is not necessary to use one unless you are complete pussy.
Batter should be smooth and completely integrated. Set aside.
Caramelized onions and apples:
I prefer to use a really tart apple such as Granny Smith, but if in season, Honeycrisp Apples are the BOMB.
1 red onion, small dice
2 Granny Smith apples, small dice
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add onions and apples. Cook until "caramelized" (nice and brown, but not burned). Remove from pan and set aside.
Bacon:
Duh. Lay out 6 strips of bacon on a cookie tray or sheetpan and bake in oven for 4 minutes each side, or done to your liking. (if you're into burned bacon, you never know). Remove from over, set aside.
Once cooled, crumble bacon with your hands (sexy)
Add the bacon, apples, and onions to the raw batter and stir thoroughly.
Ok, now we need to construct these muffins.
-Butter your muffin pans or spray a good amount of cooking spray into each of the muffin holes.
-Scoop just a small amount of batter into each one, coming roughly a 1/3 way up the tin.
-Get out your goat cheese (an eight ounce log of Chevre should be perfect) and break off a piece about a quarter size, and place in each of the half-constructed muffins.
-Then scoop another small amount of the batter on top of the cheese, just covering it.
-Place in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and done.
You should eat these bad boys within 10 minutes of baking, or re-heat before re-enjoying.
*i've made these in several different incarnations, you can try jalapeno, corn and cheddar and bacon.
Chive, gruyer , and bacon.
Let your imagination go. it rules.
