No Apples Or Oranges, Just Lemons

I am a slacker.

Ok, if you've ever read this blog or looked around this place, you'll notice that I'm not really a slacker. I'm just crazy busy. I do have off weeks when I get to lay around all day until it's time for me to go to the newspaper. And other weeks, I'm rushing from one event to another, with barely enough time to swish some mouthwash and hope I have a spare pair of socks in my trunk.

That being said, I'm going to to try my best to post the good food you know and love as frequently as possible. I think I'm doing well if I manage to post a pic or two with a 5-word explanation of what it is and how it got there. So...please continue to support me. I need it. I need to know my efforts in and out of the kitchen are not in vain.

Onto la recette...


What's the difference between cornmeal and polenta?

About $3.

They're the same thing. Using the word "polenta" makes it possible to charge $3 for a muffin instead of $1 for a cornmeal muffin. Isn't that crazy?

Well, it's not crazy if you're the one making all of the money!


Before.


After.


Lemon-Rosemary Polenta Muffins
makes 12
adapted from Great Food, Great Beer: Anheuser-Busch Cookbook

Decorating or making a glaze for these would be nice. A little candied lemon peel on top would give them a nice touch, too. I took these to work and everyone who tried them, seemed to like them.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or lemon infused olive oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp lemon zest (if using extra virgin olive oil)
1 Tbsp dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift dry ingredients into a medium bowl. In another bowl (or large measuring cup) combine the wet ingredients, including the zest, if using. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until moist. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups

Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or 40 minutes.

Let sit 5 minutes, then remove muffins to a cooling rack.

Like this post?

About the author

Nikki Miller-Ka

Nikki Miller-Ka

Ms. Miller-Ka is a classically trained chef with a BA in English from East Carolina University and a Culinary Arts Associate Degree from Le Cordon Bleu-Miami.

Formerly, she’s worked as a researcher, an editorial assistant, reporter and guest blogger for various publications and outlets in the Southeast. She has also worked as a catering chef, a pastry chef, a butcher, a baker, and a biscuit-maker. Presently, she is a food editor, freelance food writer, and a tour guide for Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours.

Leave a reply

  1. Looks mighty good to me!

    -DTW
    www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

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  2. I would hardly call you a slacker! You are working and oding what you love. And these look damn good!

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  3. anheuser-busch has a cookbook?? Did you know our Seaworld down here is owned by AB, and they give you free beer? Even if you don't buy a ticket to the park. I'm a season pass girl, though. Can't get enough of those craaaazy dolphins.

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  4. Niki, saw the video. Congrats. Great job. I was wondering what polenta is, so it's another name of corn meal. The muffins really look good.

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  5. Slacker? No way, it's just the way life works sometimes. Relaxing is a better word anyways :) Maybe those muffins are a great idea because you can grab them on the go, and eat while you tie your shoes or something :)

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  6. Oh those sounds so fantastic! I'd love the rosemary in them

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  7. D: thanks, man :)

    Courtney: I always feel bad for relaxing when I have down time I feel like I could be working harder and doing more. Ok, maybe not doing more. But working harder...

    spiteful: Yeah, it's a great cookbook. There's even suggestions in there about BEER FOR BREAKFAST. So um...how do you go about getting free beer from the park?

    ivy: Thank you, friend. I'm glad you learned something from my blog. I learn something new every time I visit yours.

    emiline: Thaaaanks!

    adam: Ohhh you're so smart. You're right. But I don't own lace-up shoes anymore. Takes too much time LOL

    kat: the rosemary gave them a bit of unexpected freshness. I think you'd like that part, too.

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  8. There's an award on our blog for you.

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  9. Great post Nikki. You are one of the hardest working women I know. So, it's special when you actually catch some time to send us a great recipe. Try and take a little bit of time just for you. Roses to you my friend. I like cornmeal muffins!

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  10. Hey, Bob! Thanks :) I'm starting to plan my next vacation right now as we speak...

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  11. There is another award waiting on my blog for you :)

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  12. It's actually a brilliant setup. Step 1: Go to the side entrance of Sea World.
    Step 2: There is no step two! They give you free beer on entry!

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  13. Oh, and beer for breakfast has been done. I know of two recipes offhand.

    A)Beerios
    B)College

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  14. YOu are one of the most non-slacker people out there.

    Did you ever see the Alton Brown polenta/grits episode? He ate grits on someone's house and he called it polenta and they threw him out.

    Stop by my blog when you get a chance. I have something for you.

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  15. Yum!! These would go great with a roast chicken.

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  16. ivy: oh, Ivy! Thank you! You're so good to me. I'm practically blushing over here!

    spiteful: Beerios. Whoa. That's hard core. As a kid, I couldn't have milk so I substituted apple juice. Not a good plan. They didn't have soy back then. Or if they did, it wasn't available in Philadelphia LOL

    kimi: thanks, thanks, AND THANKS!

    rachel: You make me blush, too. I try to work hard and play hard and I like it when the two meet. But some days...it's all I can do to not come home and just zonk out.

    maggie: roast chicken is one of my favorite foods. I think, this is what I'm going to have for dinner!

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