Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Don't you just love fair food?  Pretty much any time I go to a fair or carnival or amusement park, I eat way too much food and all of it is really bad for me and then I feel nauseous.  Maybe it's that there is an abundance of foods on a stick which are so much better than foods not on a stick.  Or maybe it's because I eat a lot of food and then ride those crazy carni rides.

The only fair food that I absolutely love that is not on a stick are funnel cakes which are a whole category to themselves.  Nothing beats a funnel cake.  Just ask my Grandma, she loves them too.  She can also sniff out a funnel cake from miles away.  She's a good person to take with you to the fair.

Anyway, back to foods on a stick.  One of my favorite foods on a stick are corn dogs.  Hot dogs are great, but wrap that sucker in some batter and fry it and I'm sold.  However, making corn dogs at home is not easy.  First of all, I don't have a ginormous fryer.  Second, I think it's hard.  That might not be true because I've never tried it.  I have, however, made these little mini corn dog muffins and they are just as good - maybe better.

I think these are as good as corn dogs for numerous reasons:

1. These are basically cornbread muffins with sausage inside so they taste like corn dogs.
2. You can dip them in mustard or ketchup just like corn dogs and things that can be dipped in mustard or ketchup are delicious

I think they might be better than real corn dogs for numerous reasons:

1. You can eat more then 1 of them.  They're mini, so you're required to at least 4 of them.
2. There is a little smokie sausage inside of them instead of a hot dog which gives them a more sophisticated flavor.  Sophisticated is probably not the right word to describe a processed meat product but there is a more interesting flavor in the little sausage than there is in a regular hot dog.
3. You don't have to have a ginormous fryer, just a mini muffin pan.
4. They're not hard to make.

I took these little guys to the same baby shower I took the mini pies to and people ate every single one them.  I got many compliments including from the mother to be.

A couple of years ago, I served these with hot dogs in them instead of the sausages at my nephew's birthday party and the little people loved them as did the adults.

So there you have it.  People love these... small people, full sized people and full sized people who are growing small people.  That's pretty much everyone.

Mini Corn Dog Muffins
Adapted from In Sock Monkey Slippers
Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
2 1/2 T Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 Egg
3/4 cup Buttermilk
3 T Plain Greek Yogurt
1 cup frozen Corn Kernels
12 Little Smokies or 4 Hot Dogs
Ketchup and/or Mustard for serving

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.

 In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients; flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients; egg, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt. Mix well. Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the corn kernels and stir.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir till just incorporated being careful to not overmix. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling the cups 3/4 full.

Slice each little smokie in half (or cut each of the hot dogs into 6 pieces) Place a smokie or hot dog piece in the center of each muffin cup.

Place the muffin pan into the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the the tops turn golden and toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Carefully remove the corn dog muffins from the muffin cups and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Serve with ketchup and mustard or your favorite corn dog topping.

Enjoy!
Julie