Cornbread and Green Tomatoes...pure magic

I just had to post this and maybe its just my adventurous taste buds that make me like these so much, but I wanted to share one of my favorite things ... yep, you got it "Sweet Cornbread Muffins with Caramelized Green Tomatoes". 

Okay, so I will admit that I love sweet cornbread ... I adore it!  It's like cheese grits ... just one of those things that make my mouth salivate in anticipation.   Just love it and then you add some caramelized green tomatoes to them and let me tell you ... its a rare, rare treat.  Combine them with some fun salad or with a beautiful bowl of soup and you have a real treat.  Plus the fact that they are simple to make and what more could you ask for. 

My inspiration for this one was the big bag of green tomatoes that I picked up from my friend Screech from Screech Owl Tomatoes.  I use green tomatoes in tarts, cupcakes, biscuits and whatever else I can put them in, but I was craving the wonderful flavor of cornbread too and so these lovely corn muffins were born.  I think they would be good for many occasions ... breakfast or brunch with a light and fluffy quiche, lunch with a yummy farmer's market salad or warm toasty soup or with a hearty dinner of grilled chicken with a variety of salads.  Really they would just be delicious all by themselves with a nice cup of coffee or tea. 

Alright, no more rambling on about how much I absolutely, positively adore these muffins ... here it is my most treasured recipe ... (drum roll please) ... Sweet Cornbread Muffins with Caramelized Green Tomatoes!  Bake up a batch and share them with someone special.  Enjoy!

Sweet Cornbread Muffins with Caramelized Green Tomatoes

2 cups of chopped green tomatoes, seeded
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
Zest of one lemon
5 large eggs
16 ounces of vanilla or plain yogurt (I prefer low fat or non-fat)
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Sauté tomatoes and 2 Tbsp. sugar in 2 Tbsp. melted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until tomatoes begin to caramelize and turn light brown.
2. Stir together cornmeal mix, lemon zest, and remaining 6 Tbsp. sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, and remaining 6 Tbsp. butter; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in tomatoes.
3. Generously coat 2 standard 12 cup muffin pans or 2 jumbo muffin pans with vegetable cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 450° for 15 to 17 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Adapted from a recipe in Southern Living June 2011