Breaking It In !!!

Wheeeeeeeee!! Best Birthday Present Ever! Thanks K-man! I feel like I got a new car or something. The shopping around for the right model. Did I want 5Qt, 6QT or 7QT. Did I want it to tilt or not? Green, Black or Platinum....sheesh....the work!

Let me tell ya....those 20% off coupons that get sent from Bed Bath and Beyond are lifesavers! You bet we used that 20% off for THIS purchase! If you have a BBB in your area get online and put yourself on their mailing list, each month you will get a 20% off coupon. AND....you can stockpile them! I've had like 10 coupons (9 were expired) and they STILL take them! More stores need to send out coupons like BBB...that alone will stimulate the economy! LOL

For my maiden voyage on my Kitchen Aid...I chose to try out Dorie Greenspan's Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins. Of course, as I am making them....I realize, I don't really need a mixer for this recipe. Dork. Oh well. I HAD to break it in!

I am very attentive to all the different TWD baker submissions each week. I see a plethora of the same recipes and yet it's amazing how the same recipe looks so different from blog to blog. You wonder: did they change the recipe a bit? Was it their oven temperature? Did they over mix it? Was their baking powder expired? Was it poor lighting in the photo? All cookbooks need to have pictures for you to go by something on how it looks. Anyone can certainly take creative license on anything they make and serve/prep it anyhow they want....but it's just nice to have an IDEA....Well these muffins I made do not have a picture in Dorie's book....but I surely got an eyeful from all the blogs on how my muffins ought to look today. Thanks kids!

Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins

adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from my home to yours

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick melted butter
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen, if canned drained and patted dry (I used the whole 14 oz can, I like it corny)
1 small jalapeno, seeded, deveined and finely diced (I used two small ones-me likes it spicy)
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded, deveined and finely diced (I minced up a trio of bell pepper from the salad bar)
1/4 c. of chopped green onion (this was not in the recipe but I had some to use up and it gave great flavor addition!)
2 Tbsp. cilantro (I omitted this, I would have had to purchase a huge bunch of it from the store to need just a small bit for this recipe)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray or line a muffin tin pan. Silcone ones would need neither.

In a large mixing bowl, whish together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, chili powder, salt, baking soda and black pepper. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and egg yolk together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't worry about being thorough, the batter will be lumpy, and that's just the way it should be. Stir in the corn, jalapeno, red pepper and cilantro (if you add it). Divide the batter evenly amoung the muffin cups (I suggest using a ice cream scoop).

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from it's mold.

These would be great with chili or with breakfast!