Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins (and a new pan!)

Some people have alcohol, drug, or gambling addictions and there are recovery and self-help groups for such people. My addiction is much more mundane; I can't resist a cute baking pan. I've yet to find a support group for my addiction. Thank goodness this addiction is not physically damaging, my only dilemma seems to be where to store yet another pan. I say I have enough, that cute pans don't make things taste any better (though I think they must!), that I have no room for more pans.  That resolve only lasts until I walk into a Williams Sonoma or Sur la Table store.  Then my resolve starts to wane.  I get nervous, I walk to other parts of the store, lest I be tempted. Sometimes I'm successful.  But when I walk in, see a cute pan, and it's 40% off?  Well, a girl can only be so strong! Yes, the pan came home with me!

In my defense, I do use my cute pans. The first use for this fall pan was a batch of Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins. They are just a slight variation from a basic cornbread muffin, but they are a little spicy (jalapeno), savory (cheese), and sweet (honey).  Served with honey butter they are even better. Something about the sweetness of the honey with the spice of the jalapeno is amazing. I used one jalapeno, if you like things spicier, feel free to add more! As I served these with a bowl of spicy chili I knew we didn't need more heat!

These are very easy to make and it's hard not to eat just one. And, you have to admit they are cute!

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 cube) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (more if you like more heat!)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, and salt.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, sugar, eggs, and honey.  Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir, using a rubber spatula, just until moistened.  Add the jalapeno pepper and cheese, and gently toss to combine.

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tins.  Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup

When October rolls around, my Staub pumpkin pot comes out of the upper cabinets and remains a fixture on my cooktop throughout the fall season. It’s so cute and provides extra incentive to make a pot of soup. Overnight, it seems, it feels like fall in my area. We love soup, especially when it’s cold outside. There’s just something about a hot bowl of soup and some crunchy bread that makes a person feel cozy!

This soup recipe comes from the Half Baked Harvest blog. My Hubbers loves Cream of Broccoli soup so I thought he would enjoy this variation. It gets a lot of its flavor from the pumpkin ale and the cayenne pepper adds just the right amount of heat. We enjoyed this!

Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 12 ounce pumpkin beer

3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)

1 large pinch kosher salt and pepper

4 cups broccoli florets

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrot and cook until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the broth, beer, broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, cayenne, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Remove the soup from the stove and puree in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender.  Return the soup to the stove and set over low heat. Stir in the cheese until melted and creamy. Add the thyme and cook another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Ladle into bowls and top with a little extra cheddar and fresh thyme.