I am planning for my 2017 garden. This season is going to be very experimental. I am in a new house with a new garden and I am planning the vision of my future farm homestead.
In addition to my garden at my home in Annapolis, this year I have reserved a terrace in the Community Learning Garden. This is the same campus community garden that Deb and I started together in 2010. I am eager to get back into the campus garden to try out a three sisters garden – growing beans, squash and corn together. The three different plants provide support and benefits to one another. I have selected a heirloom varieties of each – blue and red corn for cornmeal, black dry beans, and a few unique varieties of winter squash.
Since I will be growing corn for cornmeal, I am curious to experiment with cornmeal recipes. I have a local blue cornmeal that I’ve been using for my trials. My first goal is to perfect my cornbread. Here is a great recipe for cornbread muffins from a favorite cookbook, The Art of Simple Food.
Cornbread Muffins (adapted from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food)
What You Need
- 2 cups cornmeal (try heirloom, unique and/or local varieties)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
What You Do
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Butter a 12 muffin tin
- Mix together dry ingredients
- Mix together milk, yogurt and egg
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture
- Whisk or stir until well mixed and smooth
- Stir in the butter
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes (cornbread should be brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean)