Missing Iowa corn muffins

I don't know if the warm weather is making me nostalgic over corn on the cob (nothing comes close to Iowa corn) or the fact that I want to use up as much of my baking supplies as possible before the move. Let's just say I have a lot of baking ahead of me.

The last couple of days I have wanted to make corn muffins. Things have been incredibly hectic, which I made worst by involving myself in not just one but two competitive physical challenges. One is with work for walking steps. We all march around the office in our pedometers logging steps. The second is the Nike plus challenge with a few friends. This is based on running mileage. Being the fierce competitor I am, I am manic about getting time each day to add extra time to my workout routine. Needless to say this takes more time then I have and cleaning and cooking have stalled for the most part.

Anyway, I have a corn muffin recipe that I use all of the time from one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. It is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. However, I needed a change this time around and found the following recipe from the Smitten Kitchen blog.

Dorie Greenspan’s Corniest Corn Muffins

Baking from My Home to Yours
Yield: 12 regular-sized muffins or 48 miniature ones

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

1 cup buttermilk (can be replaced with plain yogurt)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons corn oil (I used olive oil since it was handy)

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup corn kernels (add up to 1/3 cup more if you’d like) – fresh, frozen or canned (in which case they should be drained and patted dry)

( I used canned for this batch but my preference is frozen)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, if you’re using it. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, oil, egg and 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 kernels. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes (12 minutes for minis), 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 its mold.