Cornbread Muffins with Cheddar and Chorizo

I remember the first time I had grits. I was eight and I was in Georgia visiting my cousin for a week. I actually had no clue what I ate because to me it just seemed like a grittier cream of wheat or something, but I knew that I liked it. Crazy to think that I would not have grits again until I was 18 years old and in culinary school. You see I was living in the Midwest for most of my youth, and honestly grits weren’t on any breakfast menus and there weren’t too many southern bistros around either, so my experience was limited until I broke into the culinary world a little more.  Fast forward to today and I want to eat cheesy, buttery delicious grits every opportunity that I can. While grits seem to be a southern cuisine staple, their origin actually stems from Native Americans. Maize, or corn, has been predominantly an American food since the Native American Indians lived throughout most of the land. Once the corn kernel was hardened it would then be stone ground and then reconstituted with liquid. The process is still incredibly similar nowadays, and Bob’s Red Mill has perfected the art of making grits whether they be made from yellow or white corn. Grits are such a simple ingredient that can be used in a variety of cuisines, but is often most recognized in the southern states as a porridge or from Italian cuisine known as polenta. Grits are loaded with fiber, giving you more energy throughout the day by helping you feel fuller after consuming. When I was making this Cornbread Muffins Recipe with Cheddar and Chorizo I wanted to do something a little bit different than the traditional creamy grit porridge served for breakfast or the eve popular shrimp and grits classic. I wanted to create something that was all encompassing in a delicious brunch style recipe, but I also wanted it to be easy to make! The base of this recipe is that of a simple cornbread, but then it’s spiked with some zesty cooked chorizo, sliced green onions, and cheddar cheese. I really enjoy the ground from the grits that Bob’s Red Mill makes because it adds so much more corn flavor. While the grind for grits, or cornmeal, is similar to that of flour, I feel as if you lose that gritty consistency that is so desired when cooking and eating them. I like huge muffins because I want to eat as many of them as possible, and when I make smaller ones I end up eating two or three. Yes, I’m sure it’s the same volume as the big ones I make, but I feel less guilty about it if I say I’m eating one instead of two or three 😊. Don’t judge! To finish off these simple tasty grit cornbread muffins, I topped them with fried eggs and some extra shredded cheese and green onions, because why not. So now you’ve got a full brunch meal that is in muffin form and way cooler than just throwing a bunch of ingredients in a casserole dish and calling it a day. I mean who doesn’t like muffins, and now you can eat a pretty well balanced one for breakfast that is sure to fill you up. If you are looking for a unique brunch recipe that is so easy to make, look no further than this Cornbread Muffins Recipe with Cheddar and Chorizo, and for Bob’s Red Mill to get you there.

Cornbread Muffins Recipe with Cheddar and Chorizo

• 3 Eggs
• 4 oz Unsalted Butter, melted
• 3/4 cup Milk
• ½ cup Sour Cream
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• ¼ tsp Sugar
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill White Corn Grits
• 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour
• 2 cups of Chorizo Sausage, cooked
• ¼ cup Green Onions, sliced + extra for garnish
• 1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded + extra for garnish
• 12 Eggs, fried to desired internal temperature

Makes 6 large muffins Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl combine the eggs, butter, milk, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, grits, and flour until well mixed. Next, fold in the cooked loose sausage, green onions, and cheddar cheese until combined, and transfer the batter to a greased Texas muffin tray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned on up and firm. Remove the muffins from tray and serve two fried eggs on each, and then garnish with the extra sliced green onions and shredded cheese.

Hello, I’m Billy Parisi, but to some I’m known as “Chef Billy Parisi.” I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but for the most part I’m a Food & Content Creator, Sometimes TV Host, Digital and Social Strategist, Influencer, Picture Taker, Coffee Drinker, Daddy, Husband, College Sports Enthusiast, Fashionisto, Film & Music Lover!

I’ve been in the kitchen since I started washing dishes in a restaurant at the age of 13, and during that time I knew immediately that I wanted to be a chef. I graduated from Arizona’s Scottsdale Culinary Institute and the University of Missouri, and have logged several years as line cook, sous chef, and executive in some of the Midwest’s finest restaurants. I currently live in the city of Chicago with my wife Lindsay and daughter Olivia and cook up new inventions, mash-ups, fusions, and twists on old classics. I’m incredibly spontaneous and outgoing, and run two small businesses, BPMVC and my latest venture, 5 Loaves 2 Fish!