Cornmeal & Rice Muffins

This recipe became popular during the Great War, which we now call World War 1. Wheat and sugar were both in low supply, so they were rationed. Clever homemakers made use of other grains and sweeteners that were easier to come by. This particular recipe was popular all over the United States.

If you don’t have honey, simply replace it with an equal amount of sugar or another liquid sweetener such as molasses.

In this recipe you fill the muffin cups almost completely full with batter. Most muffin recipes say that the muffin cups should only be filled half or two-thirds full. This one is different. Fill the muffin cups nearly full with batter and the muffins will turn out fine. They barely rise, so the batter will not overflow as it bakes.

Cornmeal & Rice Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup soymilk or other milk of your choice
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 or 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/3 cups cornmeal
• 1-1/3 cups cooked, leftover rice
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Coat 12 muffin cups with vegetable oil cooking spray or grease them with solid vegetable shortening.

In a large bowl combine the soymilk, eggs, oil, honey and salt. Mix well. Add the cornmeal, rice and baking powder. Mix again, until the rice is broken up and everything is well blended. The batter will be very lumpy.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups. Fill the muffin cups just about full. Don’t worry. These muffins only rise a teeny-tiny bit. They will not overflow and make a mess of your oven. If you are very worried about it then you may use 18 muffin cups instead of 12. For the record though, I always make 12, and I’ve yet to have any problems.

Bake the muffins at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and then from the pan. Makes 12 muffins.

These are tender, moist muffins, but they don’t rise especially high. They are hearty though and perfect for accompanying spicy main dishes. When you have leftover rice, these muffins are a great way to use it up. Be sure to crumble the rice with your hands or a fork so it doesn’t clump together in the muffins. I’ve made these muffins with leftover white rice and with leftover brown rice. Either type works fine and the muffins seem to turn out the same, one way or the other.

Assuming 12-servings.

Per Serving: 139 Calories; 6g Fat (40.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 35mg Cholesterol; 230mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 Fat.