Carolina Rice Muffins

In the realm of utilizing leftover rice, there was no better way to repurpose it than incorporating it into various types of loaf breads, muffins, fritters, and even biscuits. Damon Lee Fowler, a prominent authority on cooking in this domain, acknowledges that inexpensive and abundant rice served as more than just a thrifty addition to expensive white breads; it also imparted a luscious moisture to the crumbs and could even elevate a simple breakfast bread into a substantial side dish for other meals. Unfortunately, unlike many other batter breads, these muffins, in particular, do not fare well in the freezer, demanding that they always be made from scratch.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cooked, cooled, long-grain rice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup whole or 2 percent milk
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with butter and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rice, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix the ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and egg. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until the dry mixture is moistened but still slightly lumpy. Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake the muffins until they turn golden brown, typically around 20 to 25 minutes. Once baked, transfer them to a rack and serve them hot or at room temperature.