I’m always searching for recipes that include fresh, pungent rosemary. Our garden here in Arizona is filled with fountains of the piney herb filled with a tea-like aroma.

These delightful, corn infused, sweet and savory mini muffins are a crowd pleaser –perfect for dinnertime beginnings during any holiday season. They can be made up to 2 days in advance. Simply store in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble and serve. Makes 3 dozen

Corn muffins:

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons frozen corn kernels

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup light olive oil

12 slices of country ham, sliced into 3rds

Cranberry Chutney:

Ingredients:

2 tart apples with stem and core removed, chopped

2 cups dried cranberries

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the muffins, lightly coat 3 mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, rosemary and 1 cup corn.

In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg and oil. Add to the flour mixture, stir until just combined.

Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons corn. Bake until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 7-10 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

To make the chutney, place apples, dried cranberries, brown sugar, cider vinegar, cinnamon, salt, ground cloves and crushed red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

To serve, slice each corn muffin in half and add a slice of ham and a dollop of chutney to make a mini sandwich. The sandwiches can be served warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Adapted from KansasCity