Black Olive and Feta Cheese Dinner Muffins

These savory dinner muffins are easy to prepare but not so easy to resist. If you appreciate the perfect pairing of feta cheese and olives as much as I do, this is one recipe you are sure to enjoy. They would be an ideal accompaniment to a Mediterranean soup and salad. The smell of these muffins reminded my friend Basil of being in a foreign city surrounded by unfamiliar, but tantalizing aromas.

Kalamata Olive and Feta Cheese Muffins

3 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped

3 eggs, beaten
3 sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped into smallish bits
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium-large onion, diced
1/4 of olive oil
1 1 /2 cups of milk

For the topping:

1/2 cup of extra-old cheddar cheese, grated
3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped into smallish bits

Butter 18 regular sized muffins cups. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with enough hot water to cover for 15 minutes. Squeeze out any excess liquid and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, paprika and thyme.

In another bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk. Add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, Parmesan, onion, olive oil, and milk and stir well to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with some of the topping and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the baked muffins sit in the pan for a minute or two, and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yields 18 muffins.