Toby's Tomato Corn Muffins

In honor of the arrival of baby Toby, I made these muffins when it came my turn to bring dinner to the new family. Mom and Dad loved the melted cheese centers. Toby himself was unimpressed.

1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can diced tomatoes, drained, or 2 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a dozen regular-sized muffin cups with olive oil (I tried using paper cups, but these were a pain to peel off the finished muffins; better to go with the oil here).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add tomatoes and toss to distribute evenly.

In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, and olive oil with a whisk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a large spatula just until only just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

Fill muffin cups halfway with batter and place a cube of cheese in the center of each. Cover with the remaining batter until mounded just above the tin. (Don't be afraid to pile it up a little. Muffin tops will round out nicely when baked). Top with mozzarella cheese shreds.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and feel dry and springy to the touch. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing. Serve warm.