Easy Breakfast Muffins

Last month I had a contest on Home with Mandy where I gave away a few dozen cake balls. In order to ship them and ensure they made it in one piece, I packaged the cake balls in egg cartons...then I was left with a bunch of eggs in my fridge. That's when I started looking for recipes calling for large amounts of eggs, hence the recent Creme Brulee post.

I found these super easy breakfast muffins are perfect to make on the weekend and then eat them one by one during the week. You can pop them in the microwave for 45 seconds before sprinting out the door because you are late for work… again. Oh, that’s just me?


I’m not the sharpest crayon in the box in the AM. It takes me a long time to get moving and time just gets away from me. Eating a good breakfast is the absolute last thing on my mind. Jim has tried really hard to get me to eat breakfast and stocks the fridge each week with something quick and easy, like greek yogurt, cut up fruit or a protein shake. He makes the best protein shakes with a frozen banana, protein powder and a squirt of honey for sweetness.

 

I was dying to use these Crate & Barrel Silicone Baking Cups that we received as a wedding gift (our first anniversary is this Saturday, May 22nd by the way) and I started scouring the web for a breakfast muffin. My research online led me to recipe after recipe using cottage cheese and egg, so I finally settled upon one from Kalyn’s Kitchen who she got from 101 Cookbooks, who got it from Rose Elliot. It just MUST be a winner right? Well it was!

 

One of the things that drew me to this recipe is how versatile it can be. Each blogger put their personal spin on the ingredient list and you know how I like to personalize my recipes too. I absolutely included bacon in my version along with a mixture of cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. I cook the bacon in a hot oven on a cookie sheet topped with a cooling rack. Baking on a cooling rack lets the bacon grease drip off the pork and collects down on the cookie sheet. After 15-20 minutes, the bacon is very crispy! I then remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb as much fat as possible.


This would be a good way to use up leftover broccoli, bell pepper or other vegetable you have on hand. Here is the recipe I settled upon:


2/3 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated cheese (used both cheddar and parmesan)
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour (can use soy flour for gluten-free version according to Heidi)
2/3 cup almond meal (You could buy Bob’s Red Mill almond meal, or you can use 2/3 cup raw almonds and grind them in a food process which is what I did.)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 T water
4 eggs, beaten
5 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, fat blotted with paper towel, then crumbled (I actually cooked six pieces, but Jim ate one before I could crumble it and mix into the batter.)
3 T thinly sliced green onion (scallions)

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, white whole wheat flour, almond meal, salt and water. Beat the eggs and mix well into the mixture. Gently mix crumbled bacon and chopped green onion, until well distributed in batter.

 

Spray silicone muffin cups with nonstick spray, or use foil muffin tin liners (I would spray those also.) Fill your muffin cups 3/4 full, topping with a small amount of parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until muffins are firm and lightly browned. Serve hot or room temperature. Muffins can be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave. Be careful not to microwave more than a minute, or they will become tough. I haven’t tried freezing them, but I would imagine they will freeze well.

Didn't these little darlings turn out so cute?

Jim and I absolutely loved these and were able to quickly grab a healthy and filling breakfast all week long. I would also highly recommend you find some silicone baking cups, these were great for using right on a cookie sheet, and were also microwave safe.

I'm currently in Atlanta attending the 2011 Blog Her Food conference. This picture, taken with my iPhone is the view from my hotel room. Hello Atlanta!!  Follow my real time tweets at the event at @homewithmandy I will try and get pictures posted on Friday from the Rock Her blogger party from tonight (Thursday). It was AWESOME!

I met many wonderful bloggers including:
www.branappetit.com
www.thefamilyfoodie.com
www.thenovicechefblog.com
www.foodpluswords.com
www.wearenotmartha.com
www.allieatfood.com
www.mylifeasamrs.com
www.first-bite.com
www.spicesbites.com
www.carolynoneil.com
www.jerseygirlcooks.com
www.doughmesstic.com
http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/