Ham and Greens Corn Muffins

When Liz announced that our Progressive Eats theme for this month would be "Things Made in a Muffin Tin", I had my mind set on making something unexpected. I wasn't going to make muffins or cupcakes, I would make delicate little meat pies, beautiful apple roses, or maybe even tiny little shepherd's pies. But as you can see, that didn't happen. I made muffins.

Not that there's anything wrong with muffins. I mean, I'm always saying that I wish I had more muffin recipes here on the blog, so really this was a great opportunity for me to add another one to the recipe index. I checked the fridge for things that I already had in the house that would make a tasty muffin, and when I spied a container of leftover ham from the crockpot and remembered that I'd frozen some collard greens a few weeks back, I could just taste them inside a hearty corn muffin.

To start with, I think this is the perfect corn muffin base. It's hearty and slightly dense without being overly crumbly. It lends itself well to savory add-ins such as the ham and collard greens, but the fact that it's lightly sweetened also makes berries or fruit a welcome addition.

To see what the other members of Progressive Eats made in their muffin tins this month, be sure to scroll down after the recipe and check out our menu!

Ham and Greens Corn Muffins

Hearty corn muffins studded with bits of savory ham and collard greens.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 19 minutes

Keywords: bake bread side cornmeal greens ham American

Ingredients (9 muffins)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• 1/2 cup packed chopped collard greens
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease or line 9 cups of a standard muffin tin.

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt and a large bowl, then stir in the ham and collard greens.

Whisk the egg, milk, and oil together in a large measuring cup with spout, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no dry spots remain.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, it will come almost all the way to the top. Slide into the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and tops are golden, about 19 minutes.

Set the muffin tin on a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before tipping the muffins out and to let them cool completely.

-muffin base lightly adapted from Joy of Baking

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month we're featuring dishes made in a muffin tin ranging from individual desserts to savory entrees and/or appetizers. Our event is hosted by Liz Berg who blogs at That Skinny Chick Can Bake. With built in portion control, these recipes are perfect, lighter-fare for your summer dining. You’ll certainly find a delicious recipe to add to your repertoire!

Savory Recipes

• Cheesy Sloppy Joe Tamale Cups from The Heritage Cook
• Ham and Greens Corn Muffins from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Ham Mashed Potato Breakfast Cups from Jeanette's Healthy Living
• Spicy Pepperoni Pinwheels from Pastry Chef Online
• Vegetarian Meatballs with Spicy Moroccan Sauce from The Wimpy Vegetarian

Sweet Recipes

• Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes from Spiceroots
• Pina Colada Cupcakes with Rum Buttercream Frosting from Creative Culinary
• Vanilla Buttercream Topped Cocoa Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vanilla Pear Brioche Bread Pudding from The Redhead Baker

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

We have a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.