Chile Muffins with Piñon Nut Butter
3/4 c. softened butter
1/2 c. sugar
5 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 c. corn
1 c. Jack cheese, grated
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 c. diced green chile or 1/4 c. minced jalapeņo
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. blue cornmeal
2 t. baking powder (at high altitude)
1 t. salt
Piņon Nut Butter (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 375°. Grease muffin tin or use paper muffin cups.
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Slowly add the egg/milk mixture to the creamed butter and continue to mix until well combined. Add the corn, cheeses and chile, and combine well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend well. Pour into the muffin tin and bake until just firm, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with Piņon Nut Butter.
Makes 1-1/2 to 2 dozen
Piņon Nut Butter
1 stick butter, softened
1 T. honey
salt to taste
1/2 c. toasted piņon nuts
With a wooden spoon, cream butter, honey, and salt together in a small bowl. Pulse piņon nuts in a food processor until fine, but not a paste. Stir into the butter mixture. The butter can be used immediately, or rolled into cylinders in plastic wrap, then refrigerated, or frozen. Slice into rounds before serving. Piņon butter can be frozen for several weeks.
Makes about 1/2 cup
