Cheddar Muffins

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal or 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (wisconsin mammoth cheddar, if you can get it)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 4 dashes tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Recipe

• 1 position rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 400°.
• 2 prepare muffin tin: spray indentations/rims with nonstick spray.
• 3 melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add in the shallot; cook for 2 minutes until soft and sweet, stirring often.
• 4 transfer the shallots and any remaining butter in the skillet to a big mixing bowl; cool for 5 minutes.
• 5 meanwhile, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; add in the cheddar cheese; toss until it is coated with the flour; set aside.
• 6 whisk the eggs into the shallots, then whisk in the milk, yogurt, mustard, and tabasco until smooth.
• 7 using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in the flour mixture until moistened.
• 8 divide batter among the tins (it will almost fill each indentation to the top).
• 9 bake 25 minutes or until the tops are slightly cracked and golden brown; a pick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.
• 10 set the pan on a wire rack, let cool 10 minutes.
• 11 gently rock each muffin back and forth to release it; remove muffins from pan and cool them for 5 minutes on the rack before serving.
• 12 *cheddar dill muffins: add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill with the salt and pepper; proceed as directed.
• 13 *cheddar mushroom muffins: decrease the cheese to 1 ½ cups; add ½ cup stemmed and finely chopped shiitake mushrooms or ½ cup chopped button mushrooms to the skillet with the shallot; cook an additional few minutes, or until the mushrooms give off their liquid and it evaporates; proceed as directed.
• 14 *cheddar pepper muffins: decrease the cheese to 1 ½ cups; add 1 (4 oz.) jar roasted pimientos, drained and roughly chopped, with the milk; proceed as directed.