The Best Corn Muffin

The Best Corn Muffin, originally uploaded by miss.mallory.

First off, I have to send a big thank you to miss Laurel-lou for this divine recipe. As some of you may know I'm the creator of a small, all female gourmet cooking club here in Bellingham. Miss Laurel is one of our most talented members. She's one of those girls who takes something that's undoubtedly fabulous and delicious to begin with and makes it, somehow, better. She often leaves me lusting after seconds or thirds of her concoctions (and that's saying a lot considering the amount of food we eat in a night). Problem is she's a kitchen artist. What I mean by this is (as it seems to me when I inquire after a recipe) she has whipped up whatever I've just been in heaven eating sans a recipe. She'll look here and there for inspiration, but she seems to whip up her dishes armed simply with her culinary wit and skill. Case in point, the best cornbread I've ever had. That's a hefty statement for a girl who's never been a big fan. Laurel brought these golden gems to our Barbecue Dinner nearly a year ago. Many a moment since that hot sunny day spent in the backyard has passed that I've found myself thinking back on their texture and flavor. Moist mini cakes speckled with sweet bits of corn kernel that pop in your mouth as you chew. Wispy strands of dill that lend a fresh bite. All warm and smothered in soft butter laced with sweet honey. Ohhhh. Heaven. Just describing them again is making my mouth water. Even if you're not a fan of cornbread, I encourage you to give these cakes a try, I doubt you'll be disappointed after biting into one. Trust me.

Laurels Luscious Corn Bread

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal (I used medium grind but ground it further for less grit)

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup light brown sugar packed

2 large eggs

1 stick of butter, melted and cooled

pinch of salt, pepper, and cayenne

1 Tablespoon fresh dill chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare (oil) a 12 muffin cupcake pan.

2. Mix all dry ingredients together, flour through baking powder.

3. Mix all wet ingredients together buttermilk through butter (including corn). Season wet mixture with salt, pepper, cayenne and dill.

4. Fold wet mixture into dry, careful not to over mix.

5. Using a standard ice cream scoop, fill each prepared muffin cup with one scoop of cornbread mixture.

5. Place in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Drying out your cornbread spells murder for it's success. Be sure that they're not overcooked!

6. Drop some honey into your butter dish, mix, slather warm muffins and prepare your tastebuds for cornbread nirvana.

The Best Corn Muffin, originally uploaded by miss.mallory.