Poblano Corn Muffins with Chili-Honey Butter

It's been one of those, "Let's clean out the fridge & pantry by making random meals out of whatever I can find." kind of weeks.

Do you do this, too?

Both Steve and I will both be out of town on business {Can I call going to Disney World "business"?? I think so! Steve's trip is not nearly as fun. :P }, so we're trying to get ourselves in order so that we come back to a semi-organized home upon returning. There's nothing worse than coming back from a trip to a messy house. ::shudder::

Even though I have a billion things I need to get done before heading to Orlando, I wanted to make sure I still get around to posting a few recipes this week. See how much I love you guys??

After a quick sweep of items in my fridge, freezer, and pantry, I came up with a shelf full of baking supplies {except I'm out of all-purpose flour. GASP!}, one {quickly deteriorating} poblano pepper, 3 bags of frozen corn on the cob that I forgot to make during my Derby party, a half gallon of whole milk {which we don't drink} from a previous project, and some tiny leftover nubs of cheese.

So, naturally I made these:

I've posted Poblano & Corn recipes before {in fact, one of them made it to the pages of Taste of the South Magazine in print!}, and I don't know why exactly, but I feel like the two veggies just go hand in hand.

I adapted Ina Garten's Corn Muffin base and added in the corn kernels and poblano pepper to spice it up a bit. But I didn't stop there.

I also made a compound butter to smear on these little babies. The sweet honey and smoky chili powder mixed in with the butter pair fantastically with the sweetness of the corn and the subtle "smokiness" of the roasted poblanos. 

The best part about this last minute undertaking? Now I don't have to clean out the fridge... and I may have a snack to share with my blogging buddy, Sloane, on our roadtrip!

I'm ready for a Margarita at Epcot's Mexico Pavilion!! I mean... a weekend of learning and networking.  It is a "business" trip, after all. :)

Poblano Corn Muffins with Chili-Honey Butter

Adapted from Food Network 

1 1/2 cups flour {I used 1 cup whole wheat & my last 1/2 cup of all purpose}

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cornmeal, medium coarseness

1 tablespoon baking powder

Scant 1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups whole milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 stick {8 tablespoons} butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup fresh corn kernels {or frozen, cooked} removed from cob

1 roasted poblano pepper, peeled, seeded, and chopped {Click here & scroll to the bottom for directions on how to roast a poblano pepper}

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese {optional}

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray or arrange liners in cups if using.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and cooled butter.

4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined. With a spatula, fold in corn kernels and chopped poblano pepper until well distributed, but don't overmix.

5. Using an ice cream scoop {my favorite method}, evenly fill the muffin tins with batter. {I used a heaping scoopful in each.} 

6. If desired, sprinkle or grate a little bit of sharp cheddar cheese on top of batter. {The cheese was hardly detectable in flavor but gave a nice golden top to the muffins.}

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Serve warm with Chili-Honey Butter.

Chili-Honey Butter
Adapted from Budget Bytes

1 stick {8 tablespoons} butter, softened to room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

1 {heaping} teaspoon chili {more, if desired}

Salt to taste {I think I used a bit less than 1 teaspoon}

Combine all ingredients by either mashing with a fork or mixing in a stand mixer until well incorporated.

Caramel-Pear Butter

Oh my gosh, guys. The end of October is almost here, which is just crazy because I have posted exactly ONE Fall-like recipe this entire month.

That's just not ok.

:::Raising right hand::: Starting today, I vow that I will focus on posting more pumpkiny, squashy, cinnamony, spicy things.

There. Now let's get to it.

I'm easing into all this Fall goodness with something sweet, and fruity, and fabulous.

Caramel-Pear Butter

What is it? Well, a bit of a fib, for starters.

Because it contains neither caramel nor butter. {Who names these things?}

It's the same type of "Butter" as Apple Butter; a sweet, thick spread that goes well with all kinds of goodies. And as for the Caramel, I think the brown sugar in the recipe lends some of that rich, sugary flavor that makes caramel so delicious.

The truth is, once you spread this on a muffin, smear it on a biscuit, or frost a cupcake with it, you won't really care what it's called.

I'd call it, "Fall in a Jar". That's what it tastes like to me.

If you don't think this recipe is important today, make sure you keep an eye out for what I use it in this week... you'll love it. And I wouldn't lie about that. ;)

Caramel-Pear Butter
Adapted from Epicurious

2 1/2 pounds {about 4-5 good sized} Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, & chopped into about 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons apple juice or apple cider
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
A pinch of salt

1. In a medium pot, toss together apple juice or cider, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and chopped pears. {Lemon juice keeps pears from browning, so you should toss them in as soon as they are cut.}

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the pears begin to release their own juices, about 15-20 minutes.

3. Turn down heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the pears are very tender, about 20 more minutes

4. Scoop softened pears into a blender and blend until almost smooth. {Be careful blending anything hot - it tends to make liquids explode from the blender! You may want to let it cool slightly before beginning to process. You can leave it a bit chunky if you prefer that consistency instead.}

5. Return pear puree to pot and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt.

6. Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened to desired consistency, about 1 hour. {Remember, it will thicken quite a bit more once it is cooled.}

7. Pour into a jar and allow to cool before sealing.

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups of Caramel-Pear Butter.