Mozzarella, Roasted Pepper, and Basil Muffins

The great thing about muffins is that they can be sweet or savory, and this recipe is a great example of the latter. I started by prepping the ingredients--I finely chopped the fresh basil, cubed the mozzarella, and cut the roasted bell peppers into a small dice. Next, I mixed the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda) and the wet ingredients in another (buttermilk, olive oil, and an egg). I gently mixed the wet and dry ingredients just until they were combined--the key to a tender muffin is not to over mix the batter. I gently folded in the cheese, peppers, and basil until they were evenly distributed. I used an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the batter into twelve muffin cups, and baked for 18 minutes at 375 degrees. The finished muffins were delicious--and I wish I had made some sort of Italian dinner to complement them! The cheese was melted and gooey and the basil was a nice complement to the slightly sweet peppers. These muffins were a breeze to make and I think they would be a delicious addition to the next Italian meal I make.

On deck: Lemon-Poppy Seed Cream Scones