Sausage Parmesan Corn Muffin

Last week I had sweet blueberry muffins for my breakfast and afternoon snacks and Italian pasta for my lunches for the week. To change it up, I decided to do something savory and Asian ... Sausage Parmesan Corn Muffin for my breakfast and afternoon snacks and a Thai-style Chicken with Basil, Celery and Red Cabbage for my lunch.

Since I was too lazy to go to the grocery, I used what I've already had in my fridge & pantry and I followed the super simple sweet corn muffin recipe on the Albers yellow corn meal box and just added the cooked Italian sausage, jalapeno and grated Parmesan cheese when mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. I baked the muffins a couple minutes longer than what the box recommended to compensate for the extra ingredients. Although the color of the muffin is not a bright yellow as some other corn muffins that I've seen before, I really love the taste and the texture of these savory muffins... I can't wait to have them again tomorrow.


Ingredients:
16oz Italian sausage, remove from casing
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Albers yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoon butter, melted

Note: I used Parmesan cheese because I don't have any other cheese. You can use other types of cheese like Cheddar or Jack cheese to make the color pops and the muffins a bit more cheesy gooey.

Directions:

• Cook the sausage and minced jalapeno in a pan over a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil for 5-8 minutes. Drain the oil off the sausage mixture and set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350F and grease or paper-line the muffin cups.
• Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese and salt in a large bowl.
• Combine the milk, eggs, oil and slightly cooled melted butter in a small bowl, mix well.
• Add the milk-&-egg mixture to the flour mixture; stir a couple of times and then add the sausage and the jalapeno and mix some more until just blended.
• Pour into prepared muffin cups filling about 2/3 cup full and top with the rest of grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown and when a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans or wire racks for 5 minutes, serve warm.