The Best Corn Muffins Ever!

I completely forgot to post last week and I apologize. In my defense I've been pretty busy.  I have a big announcement in the works, but I'm not ready to post about it yet.  First we have to celebrate birthday weekend!! Tinker Bell turns 13 on Sunday and I cannot believe my baby will be a full-fledged teenager.  My baby! And to prove to me that she is practically a grown woman she does not want a shaped cake this year. She wants a Chocolate-Raspberry Layer Cake with Chocolate Ganache from Bon Appetit magazine.  But...I'm thinking that a stormtrooper made out of fondant would make a great topper! :)  

  To make up for my lapse in posting last week I am going to share with you the recipe for the best corn muffins ever.  No, seriously, EVER.  With real corn in them!  They are perfectly sweet with amazing texture and true corn flavor.  Put down the box of Jiffy and make these muffins!

You will need:

1 stick butter
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey (any kind)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup frozen corn (thawed)

Preheat your oven to 380 degrees (You'll increase it to 400 after we put the muffins in the oven. The increase in temperature gives the muffins a nice, puffy top.)  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with papers.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and honey in a large bowl.  I used my KitchenAid with paddle attachment.

Then add the eggs and mix together.

Now add the flour and mix until barely combined.

And now the cornmeal.  Don't overmix.

Now fold in the buttermilk and corn.  I switch to a spatula to make sure I don't overmix.  (About the corn...you can use canned, just make sure it is low-sodium and completely drained and dry.  If you use frozen, let it sit in a bowl of hot water for about 2 minutes and it will thaw completely.  Then make sure you get it really dry.)

You'll get 12 muffins if you don't overfill the cups.  I use a 1/4 measuring cup to scoop up the batter.  The muffin cups will end up about 2/3 full.

Place the muffins in the oven and increase the temp to 400.  Bake for 18-25 minutes.  I took them out at 18 and they were perfect.  Moist, but baked completely. Stick a toothpick in the middle muffin to check for doneness. There is nothing worse than a dry corn muffin! Better to underbake just a bit than overbake.  Let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes.  (Remember that they will continue to cook up a little after you take them out.)

Aren't they beautiful?!!

Perfect little, happy muffins!  And the taste...wow.  They will knock your socks off!!!!

Look at that corn!  It really adds another dimension of texture and flavor to the muffins.

They really do not need butter, but...

butter makes everything better.  You definitely don't need to put honey on these corn muffins.  The honey flavor shines.  So, am I forgiven for not posting?  :)

Enjoy!!!!

The Best Corn Muffins Ever

1 stick butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1/4 cup honey (any kind)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup frozen corn (thawed)

1. Preheat your oven to 380 degrees 

(You'll increase it to 400 after we put the muffins in the oven. 

The increase in temperature gives the muffins a nice, puffy top.)  

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with papers.

2. Cream together the butter, sugar, and honey in a large bowl.  

I used my KitchenAid with paddle attachment.

3. Then add the eggs and mix together.

4. Now add the flour and mix until barely combined.

5. And now the cornmeal.  Don't overmix.

6.Now fold in the buttermilk and corn.  

I switch to a spatula to make sure I don't overmix.

7. Fill your muffins cups with the batter.

8. Place the muffins in the oven and increase the temp to 400. 

Bake for 18-25 minutes.

Country Chicken Casserole

This recipe is comfort food at its best. It is super simple to make, but tastes like it's complicated. It's the kind of casserole that makes you sigh because it is so good. And it's also the perfect dish to take to a potluck or bring to a friend in need. When people refer to a dish as comfort food they usually mean that it has the flavors of your childhood, is high in calories, and is something you don't indulge in very often, but when do you enjoy every single bite. This dish is no exception--in fact, it might just take the crown in this house. :) (I've been watching too much Toddlers and Tiaras.) Usually I change up recipes to make them healthier, so I've used 98% fat free condensed soup and skim milk, but this is comfort food and full-fat cheese and fried onions are a requirement. :)

You will need:

3 cups frozen shredded hash browns
1 small can of fried onions
cheddar cheese (I measure by handfuls)
4-6 (depending on size) cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1 can 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup skim milk
1 can low sodium corn
1/2 to 3/4 cup frozen sweet peas
salt to taste



Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Liberally grease (I use pan spray) a 9x13 baking dish and spread the hash browns in it. Then add the onions and toss.



Spread about two handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese on top of the onion/hash brown mix. More if you like! (I always, always shred my own cheese. The prepackaged shredded cheese is tossed with cornstarch to prevent sticking, which keeps it from melting properly and it is loaded with preservatives. Yuck.)



I forgot to take a picture of this step (shame on me). Spread the chicken on top of the cheese and sprinkle with seasoning. I use Cavender's but Lawry's, Montreal Chicken, or even just salt and pepper would be fine.


In a separate bowl, add the soup, milk, peas, and corn. You should also add a bit of salt. (You can totally play around with different veggies. Broccoli would make a great addition or substitution. So would carrots!)



Now pour that mixture over the top of your 9x13 pan and spread it around. I place the dish on a cookie sheet before putting it in the oven, but I've never had it boil over.)



Bake for 30 minutes and then remove from oven. Add another handful of cheese on top and put it back into the oven for 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts.



As Tink likes to say, "it's time to feast!" Sooooo good. The potatoes don't get crispy at all (like hash browns). They are soft and cheesy and the onions add amazing flavor.



We never have any leftovers! Truly comforting and indulgent. Normally I would add biscuits or cornbread to a casserole to make it a meal, but any addition is completely unnecessary with this dish. So yummy!!!!




Enjoy!!

my recipe card

Corn Chowder

This recipe is quick, easy, and completely satisfying. Use your leftover summer corn if you have it, or frozen corn if you don't. I do not recommend using canned corn as it is too soft to begin with and usually too high in salt. This chowder is fantastic as a stand alone meal paired with bread or as a side dish to your ribs and burgers this holiday weekend. (I know it is traditional to add bacon to corn chowder, but I left it out to make it healthier.)

You will need:

2T Smart Balance
3 potatoes (I used Yukon gold)
4-5 ribs celery
1 large onion (or 2 small)
large box chicken broth (fat free, low sodium)
bag of frozen corn (or four cups fresh)
2 cups milk or cream
1 bay leaf
paprika



Chop up the onion and celery and saute in the butter until almost soft.



Add chopped potatoes.



Add half a bag of frozen corn. Cover with chicken broth. (The amount depends on your veggies or on how soupy you want your chowder. If you like it thin, add more broth, but remember that you will also be adding milk. Just make sure the veggies are covered with a bit extra. You may also need to add more as the chowder boils.) Add bay leaf and sprinkle with paprika.




Bring to a light boil and cook until your veggies are tender. Then add 2 cups of milk. You can use skim to keep it healthy or use half and half or whole milk to make it creamier. This recipe is so versatile that you can take the basics and make it to your taste easily!





Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low. After it simmers, taste it. Is it salty enough? If you are using bacon, it probably won't need any salt. If not, you may need to add some. I use Kosher salt, but use a light hand. You can always add more, but you can't take out excess. Add black pepper to your taste, too. Like a kick? Give it a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce. Now let it cook for an hour, stirring every ten minutes or so. (You could actually eat this right away since the veggies are tender, but the longer it cooks the creamier it gets. Many chowder recipes call for a tsp or so of cornstarch to thicken, but that is not necessary in this recipe.)



The result is a mild, creamy corn chowder. Excellent on a cold day, as a hot side dish, or when you are feeling icky.



I already mentioned that you can add bacon, but you could also add ham or baked chicken. Carrots or mushrooms would be great, too. Play around with this dish and make it your own or make it as is and...

Enjoy!

Macaroni Stew

This recipe is so simple and so flavorful. Tomato allergy or not, it is one of my all-time favorites and I always brave the stomachache and eat some. You can make this stew on the stove or in the slow cooker. And like chili, it's even better the next day!

You will need:

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cans green beans
1 cup (or 1 can) corn
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste (I like the kind with roasted garlic)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup
2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
********************
8 oz cooked elbow macaroni



Saute the meat with the onion and carrots until all traces of pink are gone from the meat. If you meat is super lean, you might need to add 1T of oil. (My carrots look strange because all I had were those matchsticks carrots for salads. Someone--and I won't name names--ate all my baby carrots.)



Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the macaroni. Do not drain the canned veggies.



Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for at least an hour, but the longer the better.



If you plan on eating the entire pot in one night, then you can add the macaroni to the pot. If not, then add a handful of macaroni to each bowl before topping with stew. Pasta has an annoying habit of swelling and then breaking down in the stew pot. The stew will be nice and hot and will warm the macaroni immediately.





Stir and enjoy! (Ignore the magically changing bowl...I forgot to take a picture in the white bowl before hubby started chowing down.)

Taco Soup

A family favorite, I usually make this recipe in a slow cooker, but I made it on the stove top this time because I forgot to start it the night before. :) This meal is easy to make and lasts for at least two nights worth of meals. We usually have one bowl left, which I put in a container and freeze. When we collect enough of these mini meals in the freezer, we have Hodge Podge night and make everything. The kids love it because they can choose exactly what they want. I serve their choices on a cafeteria tray with all those individual compartments. Such fun!



1.5 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion
2 envelopes taco seasoning
3 cans Bush's Best Chili Beans (mild sauce)
1 can light kidney beans
16 oz tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn (or one can with juice)
1/2 cup water (omit if using canned corn)
sour cream
cheddar cheese
Fritos scoops

Brown the ground beef with the onion and one envelope of the taco seasoning.



At this point you can add the beef and the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker, set on low, and cook overnight or for at least 4 hours. Or just add everything to the pot on the stove and stir. (Do not drain beans.)



Cook for at least 3 hours. The longer the better really as it is even better the next day, like chili and spaghetti sauce. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. We use those large Fritos Scoops to dip, except Tinker Bell who crushes up her Fritos and dumps them in the soup. This recipe is a nice departure from ho-hum taco night. Enjoy!