Corn Cake Appetizers

A friend of mine who had a catering business made these delectable morsels. They are small pancakes made with cornmeal and kernel corn. I've made them several times now and served than as an appetizer for summer BBQ's and they have disappeared like... well...hotcakes!

For the Corn Cakes:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, beaten with a fork
• 4 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup corn kernels cut from a cooked cob or 1 can kernel corn, drained

1. Heat griddle or frying pan to 350º F.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
3. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients and corn kernels.
4. Make a well in the dry indgredients and add the wet.
5. Stir well with a spoon until blended. Batter will be a bit runny.
6. Using a tablespoon, drop batter on to griddle. You'll want to make the corn cakes fairly small. (about 2" in diameter)
7. Cook on griddle until browned and then flip - like pancakes.
8. Cool on rack.

For the Goat Cheese Topping:

• 1/2 cup herbed goat cheese or add your own herbs to plain goat cheese (you could use cream cheese if you like)
• About 1/4 cup (more or less) of whipping cream
• Red Pepper Jelly
• Chives cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1. Beat goat cheese with beater, adding whipping cream until a creamy texture is achieved.
2. Using a small spoon or a piping bag, top each corn cake with a teaspoon or so of goat cheese.
3. Add a dab of red pepper jelly to the centre of the goat cheese.
4. Add bits of chopped chives as a garnish if desired.
5. Serve. (These are delicious cold)