Spring time seems to be the perfect time for brunches – Easter, Mother’s Day, and any day to celebrate the fresh Spring beginnings. If you are craving brunch but don’t have the time to linger at the table, try these brunch muffins. With all the breakfast favorites in one big bite, kids will eat them up and adults will ask for seconds. Kids will also enjoy the layering of the ingredients, and those over 3 can definitely help you with the preparation. They will love how beautiful the cheesy egg top turns out when baked. If there ever is a time when kids sleep past 6 a.m. in my house, we will definitely make it out to brunch on weekends. In the meantime, these muffins are a hit for breakfast or dinner!
Serves 6 muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk (2% works best)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or American cheese
- 1 slice ham, turkey ham, or Canadian bacon, chopped into small bites
Directions:
1. Prepare your batter: in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. Whisk in 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk and vegetable oil. Stir well until blended. If the batter looks too dry, add a bit more milk. Set aside.
3. Whisk 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup cheese in a separate cup or small bowl. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the muffin liners into a muffin pan and spray with baking spray.
5. Start the layering of the muffins (perfect job for kids under your supervision). First layer one spoon of batter. Then a few pieces of diced ham. Then, another spoon of batter. Finish with a spoon or two of the egg mixture – enough to cover but careful not to spill over. Don’t fill the muffin cups over the edges, otherwise the egg will make them hard to remove from the muffin liners.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. These are great warm or cold.
6. Optional, but a nice touch: mix 1/4 mashed medium avocado with 1 tablespoon greek yogurt and a teaspoon of salt. Blend together into a sauce. This is a beautiful green sauce to spoon on top of the muffins if you like, or create a green “grassy background” kids can dip bites into.
