and a little of that

If you have been around here for awhile, Stephen's love for all things pork should be no news to you. Yes, I know all about the dirtiness of the animal, and he does too. trust me. When someone is in love they are blind to the truth. It tastes great, granted, but there is still the once-vegan-health conscience in me that says, "Just because it tastes good does not mean you should eat it." There are no two ways about it with Stephen. Until pigs fly from this planet, he will melt at the mention of their name. I kind of like people all googly eyed and dreamy when I talk about food, and so occasionally even I will drop the P word in a menu just to see the stars in his eyes.
Last Friday Stephen and a few guys got together for game night (board game that is) in which they drank  micro brews and took over the world of Catan. I offered to send him with a snack, and of course that option sounded like a good one. I started to throw out some ideas and it went something like this:

L*Joy-  Spiced popcorn?
Stephen- too messy.
L*Joy- Hot pretzels with grainy French Dijon?
Stephen- maybe.
L*Joy- Candied nuts?
Stephen- nah. I will eat too much and get a belly ache. Ooh I have an idea. How about cornbread with ... some... bacon maybe and chives??? yeah? sound good?

Now. I relent. The bacon makes it. These little beauties are so wonderful I practically want to beg you to make them. They are first of all precious mini muffins and fantastically delicious hot with fresh butter. I know! butter on bacon! Love is blinding and delicious.

In case you have not heard, approximately 103 trillion people will belly up to a television this Sunday night to watch rather brilliant men throw themselves into one another for a whole lot of money. Living without a television, this would normally not affect us in the least. This Sunday though, we will be in New York City, and in case you really have no idea what I am talking about, The New York Giants are in the Super Bowl. We contemplated decking ourselves out in fan gear, but recoiled at the potential that someone might start to ask us questions. We would then be hastily kicked to the curb. Football never was my reason for wanting to go to a Super Bowl party. My interest came from the fact that they were more often than not on my birthday weekend. This meant that the average household, that did not even know it was my birthday, was having a party on my birthday just like we were. As a kid, this fact was amazing. The second important reason to go to a Super Bowl party was for the snacks. A lot of those 103 trillion people will eat chili and chicken wings, and I think I could really enjoy the game if these little golden muffins were crumbling into my steaming bowl of chili. It is just a thought.

If you want a sweet fluffy cornbread sans Pork click here.
If you have regular size tins, I understand not wanting to purchase something new. Fill the regular tins nearly full and bake 24 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
They keep well in the fridge for three days, but to serve them on Sunday; they would be best fresh and warm.

Petite Cornbread Muffins with Bacon and Chives

1 cup old fashioned yellow cornmeal
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup 2% milk
1 egg
8 strips of good quality (applewood smoked or local) bacon, cooked
1/4 cup minced chives

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Grease mini muffin tin
3. Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl
5. Crumble cooked bacon and add to flour mixture. Stir in chives. Beat egg into milk and fold into flour mixture
6. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, fill each tin with batter
7. Bake 20 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean
8. Enjoy