Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins

Fall seems to be filled with the aroma of pumpkin-spiced everything... and these muffins are no different! Whether you make this recipe with sweet potato, pumpkin, or squash, these cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiced muffins will be the perfect complement to a steaming bowl of comforting chili, soup, or stew. The next morning, warm the leftovers in the microwave and spread them with a little butter and/or honey for a quick and easy breakfast!

Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins
Yield: 15 muffins

Ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (substitute coconut oil for dairy free)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (can substitute pumpkin or butternut/buttercup squash)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk (substitute almond milk for dairy free)
2 large eggs, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.
3. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add sweet potato (or pumpkin/squash) and honey; mix until thoroughly combined. Add milk and eggs; stir until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and stir until few lumps remain.
4. Using ice cream scoop, divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until muffins are golden and cooked through (toothpick inserted in center will come out clean).
5. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then place muffins on wire rack to finish cooling.
6. Enjoy muffin(s) hot from the oven spread with butter, honey, or all on its own!

Note: For mini muffins, bake about 9 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Peas and Crayons.

Corn Bread Casserole

I had this dish for the first time when I was visiting my aunt and her family in the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving. I usually spent the holiday with my parents, but I had recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin and didn't have enough time off from my new job to travel down to Texas for the holiday. My mom makes the BEST turkey stuffing ever, so I suppose she never felt the need to add another bread-based side dish to her Thanksgiving menu. I was skeptical to try my aunt's casserole since most corn bread recipes are dry and rather bland, but after tasting the sweet, soft breading studded with juicy corn kernels, I became a convert!

Like many tried-and-true recipes, this one used to be simplified by using a boxed corn muffin mix, but I've found the right balance of from-scratch ingredients to achieve the same delicious taste without any of the gluten!

Corn Bread Casserole
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
14.75 oz can cream style corn*
2/3 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Cornmeal
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease 9x13 oven safe dish with cooking spray.
3. Stir all ingredients together and pour into prepared dish.
4. Bake for about 1 hour, or until lightly browned on top and set in the middle. (Start checking around 45 minutes since oven temperature varies.)

*Creamed corn can be a source of hidden wheat. From my research, the Celiac community recommends going with a national name brand (such as Del Monte) for this product, so that is what I have used here.