Savory Spinach, Feta, and Peppadew Muffins

Savory Spinach, Feta, and Peppadew Muffins

Savory and delicious! Fresh spinach, feta cheese and my very favorite lesser-known ingredient...the peppadew. Wow, do I love those little guys. They're mildly sweet but also have just a tad bit of heat to them. They're great stuffed with blue cheese and eaten as an appetizer, and I always add them to my pasta sauces (see my Italian Chicken Cutlet recipe). Whatever the dish, you may be assured they will kick up the flavor. I usually buy them in the olive bar at my local market, but I've also gotten them in the jarred olives section.

I found this amazing recipe in the September 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. They adapted it from a game lodge located in Kruger National Park in South Africa called Singita Sweni Lodge. I'm so glad they shared it because this will become a regular menu item in my home. In addition to being completely yummy, they're easy to freeze and take with you for lunch, or on the go.

peppadews, spinach, feta cheese

When making this dish, I recommend using fresh spinach (not frozen). I found this hearty, organic variety at Bristol Farms but the kind you get in the salad area of the market, pre-washed and in a bag will work fine, too. Also, I used a Pampered Chef 12-cup Stoneware Muffin Pan, which I totally love, but of course you can use any muffin pan you'd like. I've had really good luck with this stoneware pan as it cooks evenly and the sides of the muffins don't over-brown.

In my stoneware pan and about to go in the oven.

Makes 6-12 muffins depending on cup size (my pan yielded 8 generous muffins)

Oven 375 degrees F

Ingredients:

nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup whole milk (I used 2%)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup thinly-sliced fresh spinach leaves

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped peppadews (the hot ones)
butter to finish (optional)

Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray.

In medium bowl place flour, sugar, baking powder, paprika, and salt, then whisk together.

In large bowl place milk, oil, and eggs, then whisk together.

Add flour mixture to milk mixture, then whisk together just until blended. Do not overmix. Batter will be very thick and gooey. Fold in spinach, feta cheese, and peppadews.

Fill each muffin cup to the top until there is no more batter. Bake in oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I always start checking at the minimum recommended time. In this case, they were done in 27 minutes, but it will depend on your pan and the size of the muffin cups.

Top with butter (optional) and let cool for 5 minutes then remove from pan and place on cooling rack. If necessary, run your knife around the edges of the muffins to release them from the pan.

These are addictive!