Bacon and Egg Muffins

So, I have a large, wonderful extended family. (Hi, guys!!). And on many a Sunday they have congregated at my house for a noisy breakfast. Because there are so very many of them, I tend to lay it all out buffet style, stack up the plates, and it is every man, woman, child and dog for themselves. And lately, I have gotten into, well, an extended family Sunday breakfast rut. Scrambled eggs. Bacon (of course). Fruit salad. Cheese grits (that is the Southern husband influence). Bagels with cream cheese (that is the teenager influence). Something sweet, to make up for the fact that there are no carbs anywhere else on the table.

Not that anyone is COMPLAINING (well, not in front of me, anyway), but now that I have made this exact same breakfast about 1,000 times in a row, I have been looking for something to shake it up a little. (We did try pancakes once, but once the last pancake was off the griddle, the first pancake eaters were already done and ready for lunch.)

So when I saw these totally adorable little bacon and egg muffins on The Noshery I thought, here is my way out of the Sunday Breakfast Rut. Because these babies are easy to make, they look and taste fabulous, and they are all ready at the same time. This is key. So I gave them a test run a few days ago, making two each for me and the Southern husband, and one to photograph. They were delish, but I knew I really had a hit on my hands when I was finished photographing that last one, and was about to drop it into the dog's dish (it was cold!) ...and the Southern husband intercepted it for himself. Yes, they are that good. The dog is still in mourning.

So give these a try. You can make 2, or you can make 12, or you can make 24 -- you are only limited by the size of your muffin tin and your oven. And before the family starts to worry, I will still be making the cheese grits. Never fear.

BACON AND EGG MUFFINS, adapted from The Noshery

Makes 6, but expand it as far as you want!

• 6 slices of bacon
• 6 slices of bread
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs
• Salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 400° F. Grease muffin pan.
2. Microwave or fry bacon until partially cooked but not crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Cut out rounds of bread from the center of each bread slice, using a round cookie cutter or the top of a glass. Press the bread rounds into the greased muffin wells.
4. Curl a piece of bacon around the periphery of each piece of bread, positioning it between the bread and the muffin tin to help keep it in position.
5. Sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese in the center of each piece of bread.
6. One at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl or measuring cup, removing about half of the white, and dropping the remaining white and yolk over each piece of bread, being careful not to break the yolks.
7. Once all the bread pieces have been topped with eggs, bake until eggs are cooked through to your liking (about 6-10 minutes depending on how runny or firm you like your eggs) and bacon is crispy.
8. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin well and pop the muffins out. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe