It is really a hot summer, and I was trying to think of creative ways to make and serve food. I took this idea from the online Food & Wine column and “kashered” the recipes. They should delight children and adults alike.

The word muffin was first found in print in 1703, possibly from the German word, muffen, meaning small cake. It may also have originated in a British magazine in 1851. In 10th or 11th century Wales, however, there existed an English muffin made with yeast and cooked on a griddle.

American-style muffins in individual molds originated in the 18th century. It is uncertain which came first—cupcake cups or muffin pans.

Chicken Pot Pie Cornbread Muffins

Serves 6

The original recipe was created by Scott Hocker, editor-in-chief of Liquor.com, a writer, editor, recipe developer and cookbook author.

I adapted it to fit the laws of kashrut.

Cornbread

• ¾ cup cornmeal
• ¼ cup flour
• salt to taste
• ¼ t. baking powder
• ¼ t. baking soda
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup non-dairy creamer or pareve milk

Chicken Filling

• 1 T. olive oil
• ½ chopped onion or green onions or shallot
• 1 finely chopped clove garlic
• ½ carrot cut into chunks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ t. flour
• 3/8 cup chicken soup
• ¼ cup shredded cooked chicken

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 6 muffin tins.

2. Stir together in a bowl cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

3. Whisk in egg and liquid. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan and stir in onion, garlic, carrots, salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes.

5. Add soup and bring to a boil, then add chicken.

6. Place 1-2 tablespoons filling on top of each batter-filled muffin tin. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 25 minutes or until muffins are golden around the edges.

“Hogs” in a Blanket

Makes 18 hors d’oeuvres

This is an adaptation of a recipe by Grace Parisi, who grew up in a family of cooks and is a cookbook author who headed several test kitchens.

•  3 1/3 ounces pareve puff pastry cut into two 5-inch squares
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 T. water
• 2 3-ounce hot dogs or sausages
• 1/8 cup chutney
• 1 T. whole grain mustard

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Arrange puff pastry squares on a work surface and brush with egg wash.

3. Place sausages on bottom edges and roll up pastry, pressing edges to seal. Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm.

4. Cut logs into ½-inch slices and place cut side up in mini muffin pans.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden and sizzling. Cool on a paper towel-lined rack.

5. Pulse chutney and mustard in food processor until chutney is chopped. Spoon a dollop on each slice and serve.