Savory Muffins for a Winter's Day

 

MMMM. Muffins. They are warming comfort food on a cold winter's day. But they don't have to be sweet. Muffins can come in savory varieties, too. Most people associate muffins with breakfast. A savory muffin can be a great breakfast treat. I think it would be great split, toasted, and topped with a poached egg. But savory muffins can serve well beyond breakfast. A savory muffin can be a great accompaniment to a cup of soup at lunch, like in the picture, which it's served with tomato soup and cream cheese-stuffed celery. It packs to sell that it can be an easy snack at your desk in the middle of the afternoon, or a nice way to complement a glass of wine in the evening. Make them in tiny muffin tins and the become great appetizers! I began a monthly series on muffins back in January, beginning with a recipe for a muffin mix that would make a manic Monday morning a little easier to swallow. In February I offered a variation on the basic muffin that gave a nod to the two big holidays of the month, Valentine's and President's Day. You can find that basic muffin mix and recipe here, and the cherry chocolate version here. Inspired by St. Patrick's Day, March's muffin variation is a savory one made with cheddar cheese, corned beef, and spinach. The nutmeg that's in the original mix complements the spinach well and makes the kitchen smell warm and inviting when the muffins are in the oven. Try them! You just might be searching for ways to eat them all day long. Corned Beef and Spinach Muffins Preheat oven to 350. Mix together in a mixing bowl 2 eggs 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup oil 1 TBS mustard 1/4 cup frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup canned corned beef, broken up with a fork Add and stir until there are no dry lumps 2 3/4 cups of Manic Muffin Mix Line muffin tins with papers. Fill cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown. Not sure how to squeeze spinach dry? I poured the frozen spinach into a measuring cup and thawed it in the microwave, then pressed on it with the back of a spoon, pouring the excess water into the sink. Don't know what to do with the leftover corned beef? I'll have another recipe later this week that will use it up. Jennifer Bohnhoff is a Middle School English teacher and the author of 7 published novels, which you can learn more about here. But a girl's gotta eat, too, so she publishes recipes on occasion.