Chile Cheddar Herb Muffins

Have I told you guys that I love to shop? I do. Usually, clothing shopping is my favorite, but I love when we move and I get to buy new stuff for the home too. And now, I love shopping for the kitchen/blog too. That’s a bad one…I get carried away buying cutesy stuff to use for the blog.

Since moving to the Virgin islands, my shopping habit has been severely crippled. Sure, I can still shop online, but there’s a shocking number of retailers that don’t ship here, even though we have USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Some of them even charge International shipping…even though we have USPS, UPS, and FedEx. There aren’t a lot of options locally for clothing (there are zero options for cutesy blog doo dads), but there is one little boutique downtown that sells some of the prettiest dresses ever.

I’ve become a pretty regular face in there…even when I’m not buying, just browsing is such great retail therapy. The problem, though? The woman that runs the place is insultingly terrible at judging sizes and weights. Seriously.

Every time I go in there, the woman insists that I’m trying on a size that will be too small. She’s all like, “Oh…….. you think you should try that one on? Hm. Well, why don’t I go ahead and put the next size up in the fitting room too?” And I’m all like, “Lady, for real. Back off.”

Of course, it’s always immensely satisfying to come out in the smaller of the two sizes and have it fit perfectly… At least until she sees me. It always goes something like this, “Oh. You had to go with the larger size, huh?” And I say, “No. Actually, this is the smaller, but thanks for the vote of confidence.” Then she looks me up and down, and I could swear she’s trying to decide whether or not to call me a liar. You would think that after a year of shopping there, she would get the hint.

Her latest remark is always that “this particular dress runs small in the rib cage.” I want to ask her how she ever sells anything when she’s so insulting, but I never do. Then, I decide that I’m never spending my money there again. But I end up desperate for a shopping trip…not just a point, click, and pay trip, but a try-on-pretty-stuff-and-charge-it trip, and I always go back……… I’m like, “Alright. If this woman tries to tell you you’re too big for something, just leave. You don’t need to put up with it. She’s not the only person selling cute dresses around here.” Then I remember that actually, she is the only person selling cute dresses around here… It’s a vicious cycle, but I don’t think I should be held accountable the day that I go postal on her. She’s asking for it every time she eyes me with her snob goggles.

Maybe I should just lay off the muffins?

…

Well, we all know that’s not gonna happen.

Especially when I make muffins like these. I mean, really…a savory, spicy muffin that is actually fantastic with breakfast, lunch, and dinner?! Resistance is futile.

Today’s cast of characters: shredded cheddar cheese, all-purpose flour, roasted red peppers (diced), buttermilk, olive oil, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chives, and parsley. Plus some chile powder.

I think this batter is so pretty. All the herbs and the bright red from the peppers just looks so yummy.

Plus, they’re just as pretty once they’re baked. They have these lovely, domed, golden tops, and the peppers are still a beautiful, deep red.

Then there’s the inside. They have such a fluffy texture, and all the herbs and spices are very flavorful. These are an excellent accompaniment to any dinner, but they’re also fantastic with fresh scrambled eggs and ham for a hearty breakfast. You can even mix and match the herbs and spices to suit your needs. The bread itself is a great base for any savory muffin. However you decide to have these, enjoy!

Chili Cheddar Muffins [Printable Version]
Makes 12 standard muffins

Ingredients

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) roasted red pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Lightly oil a muffin pan (I used non-stick cooking spray with flour in it).

In a small bowl, combine the cheddar, red pepper, chives, and parsley; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, chili powder, and salt.

Gently mix the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just combined and pretty smooth (a few lumps are ok). Fold the cheddar mixture into the batter until evenly distributed.

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups (about 2 1/2 tablespoons per cup). Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Darla

Tagged as: Cheddar Cheese, Chile Cheddar Muffins, Muffins, Recipes, Red Peppers, Savory