Wolfgang Puck's Red Carpet Recipe Contest (Vote for me!!) - Butternut Soup Muffins

I usually don't enter contests. The old adage "If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all" fits me to a T...


But for some strange, wacky reason I decided to enter this one. Not sure exactly why...maybe I felt the need to be challenged?

I played with five different recipes, made them, had a taste testing and we voted based on the judging criteria:

50% Originality     20% Healthy Ingredients       20% Creativity       10% Photo Appeal

So how does one use a can of soup in an original way with healthy ingredients creatively? Odd how taste wasn't even a factor, eh?

Out of the five different recipes, this one won every category: Butternut Soup Muffins!

  -  It's original. A muffin made from soup? Really?
  -  It's healthy. Butternut Squash is is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese. 
  -  It's creative. Muffins make people happy. But a savory muffin? How creative!
  -  The photo is awesome...(see above photo) Papa Bear and Steven spent 20+ minutes taking pictures of these (and all the other finished recipes) and plated/shot like a couple of pros. What would I do without my two heroes???

Here is where you can go vote for me and my muffins if you'd be so kind. I totally appreciate it!  

I will also be posting the other four recipes that, while tasty, didn't score as high for the judging criteria.

Add some flour to a large bowl.

Add some baking powder...

...then salt.

Chop up some fresh parsley - take a whiff - then add it to the bowl.

Ditto with some chives - repeat whiff.

Grate in some fresh nutmeg (double whiff!)

Mmmmmelted butter! Combine with an egg...

Add soup to egg and butter.

Add some buttermilk to the soup/egg mixture.

Combine wet into dry...

...and you get this lovely concoction!

Line a muffin tin with paper liners (if you want to be lazy like me!) and fill.

After 25 minutes of a 425 degree oven, you will have savory muffin goodness!

Butternut Soup Muffins (with Honey Cinnamon Butter, which is optional)

Makes 12 muffins

1-3/4 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk works fine too)
1 can (10 oz.) Wolfgang Puck Butternut Squash Soup
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, chives and nutmeg. In separate large bowl, beat egg. Add melted butter, milk, and soup. Stir to combine. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture and stir just to combine. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups with batter, and bake at 425 degrees F. for 25 minutes.

Combine softened butter, honey and cinnamon in medium bowl with mixer and whip at high speed until fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes).

Serve muffins warm with room temperature butter.

Mizzas (or Puffins) - You decide what to call 'em!

Snackers, beware! You'll be making these every time you have a craving for pizza...or muffins...or both!

Easy, cute and incredibly tasty little bites...and you won't have to fight your children for the pepperonis off the pizza slices!

Other combos that everyone wanted to try the next time(s) I make these would be our favorite pizza combos, such as Supreme (with a little bit of everything), Hawaiian (ham and pineapple), Four Cheese, Anchovy and Sausage, and my personal favorite pizza toppings - bacon, mushroom and onion!!

Dice some pepperoni (don't eat them all...) and shred some mozzarella (or cheat and buy pre-shredded like me!)

Combine flour, baking powder, egg and milk

Stir in the magic pepperoni and mozzarella

Place batter into mini muffin tin...and pop 'em in the oven!

Serve these little babies with warmed pizza or marinara sauce...mmmm!

Puffins

3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup pepperoni, diced
1 small jar pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 375. 

Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Whisk in the milk and egg.  Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni. Let the mixture stand for 10-15 minutes.

Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.

Warm the pizza sauce in the microwave or small saucepan.  Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.