Jalapeño Cornmeal Muffins

We went to dinner with some friends on Friday night to Bandera in Old Town Scottsdale where I tried some Jalapeño Cornmeal Bread. I am not a big fan of cornbread but I did enjoy their Jalapeño cornbread.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Jalapeño cornmeal muffins in one of my Williams- Sonoma cookbooks this afternoon. I thought I would give them a try and serve them up during dinner. I have to say for my first attempt I thought they turned out pretty well!

I have included the recipe incase any of you want to try making some!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups fine or medium- grind yellow cornmeal, preferably stone- ground

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 or 3 green jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced (I used three)

1 zucchini

1/4 cup olive or sesame oil

2 large eggs beaten

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Grease 11 standard muffin cups with butter or butter -flavored nonstick cooking spray; fill the 12the muffin cup with one- third with water to prevent warping.

In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the jalapeño peppers and zucchini.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil, eggs, and buttermilk. Stir until just evenly moistened, using no more than 15-20 strokes. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it to the rim. Sprinkle with cheese if you opt to.

Bake until golden, dry, and springy, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately unmold the muffins onto a wire rack.

Serve them hot, warm, or at room temperature, with butter, and most of all ENJOY!