TWD (okay, WWD) - Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins

 

I love this recipe.

As you can see by the photo above, I didn't make muffins.  I am just not that nuts about muffins.  And since this is really at heart a cornbread recipe (to me, anyway), I figured I'd bake it in a cast iron skillet, as cornbread should be baked.

But first things first.

I whisked my dry ingredients.

 

And, while my ground beef was becoming taco filling (with my own seasonings, not a pre-packaged blend, thankyouverymuch) on the stove, I assembled the wet ingredients and the corn and peppers and cilantro.

 

OH - and the shredded cheddar.  No - don't feel obligated to re-check your notes.  That's MY version of "Playing Around" with this recipe.  The cheese belongs with the rest of the ingredients, and it also adds some additional moisture.  (And of course it's that additional moisture that's the REAL reason for my adding it in...it couldn't possibly be my belief that nearly everything should be topped with a layer of melted cheddar...or filled with oozing brie.  No, couldn't be that at all.)

Anyway, I combined...

 

And I spread the mixture in my cast iron skillet...and sprinkled on some more cheese.  For cosmetic purposes only.

   

And then I slid the pan in the oven to bake while I cooked some Goya rice (with green chiles and tomatoes) and assembled the other ingredients for our taco dinner.

Twenty-five minutes later the rice and the cornbread were done.

Here's the cornbread:

 

Last night's pictures don't do it justice, so I took a few more this morning (better lighting).

Predictably, I loved it, Bill loved it, Julia liked it well enough last night but REALLY liked it earlier this morning as part of an early lunch, and Alex didn't like it at all.  He apologized for not liking it, "but I just don't like all the stuff in it."

Ah well.  It's still a good average.

 

I think this cornbread (as cornbread, not as a muffin) would be BEST along a long-simmered bowl of chili.  But since I didn't have the ingredients or the time for the long-simmering yesterday, I figured some fast tacos would work out okay.

And they did.

In fact, I didn't have tacos at all - I just split open a piece of the cornbread and topped it with the taco fillings.

I did almost the same thing a little while ago, both for me and (once she saw what I had and wanted me to share it with her) for Julia.

 

Julia ate two helpings (they were smaller than the one pictured above) and I had one.  The one in the picture.  Okay, one and a half.

Good thing I sent some in to work with Bill today, because I don't think the remaining quarter of cornbread will last the day.  It's really, really good.

Thanks to Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake (one of my favorite blog names out there - I love cleverness) for choosing this week's recipe - you can find the recipe on her site or on page 6 in Dorie Greenspan's Baking:  From My Home to Yours. 

And if you want to salivate some more, go to the TWD home page and work your way through the blogroll of other bakers. 

And then, of course, go make a batch of Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins (or cornbread) for yourself.

Comments

[chocolatechic]

Looks great.

[pinkstripes]

I love that you added cheddar cheese. Your corn bread wedges look great and I'm glad that it was a hit (for the most part).

[Rebecca]

Yay to the cast-iron and the cheese, glorious cheese. Looks delicious.

[Tamy ~ 3 Sides of Crazy]

I love the taco side trimmings and cheese - everything is better with cheese! I still like my cornbread from a cast iron pan - once a southern girl, always a southern girl LOL!

[Caitlin]

Cast iron and cheese. Dangit, why didn't I think of that? That looks *good*

[jessica]

Love the cast iron skillet -- it's so much more authentic anyway! And what isn't better with cheese?

[jomamma]

Yummmmm, makes me want to say "you gonna eat that cornbread?"

[Teanna DiMicco]

Absolutely gorgeous!!!!! I love your photos and the addition of the cheese! YUM!

[food librarian]

Looks great! Love that you used a cast iron pan!

[Jules]

Mmmmmm. That looks so delicious!

[LyB]

Cheese, now why didn't I think of that? Looks wonderful, especially with the taco filling on top, mmmmm! :)

[Gretchen Noelle]

I really, really like your version! I found my muffins to be too crumbly so I think baking it as a cornbread and with cheese...yum!