Photo by Sandy Wilson
For the family facing busy, hectic mornings, these scrumptious and filling “muffins” are the answer to providing a hot meal that can be enjoyed on the go.
Makes 15 to 16 muffins
½ cup melted butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
½ pound bulk-style Italian sausage, hot or mild
12 eggs
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 small green bell pepper, cut into tiny dice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded Asiago or Italian Fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Brush 16 nonstick muffin-tin cups liberally with the melted butter, using a pastry brush.
Dump 1 heaping tablespoon of the panko bread crumbs into each tin. Shake and tilt the muffi n tin, coating the bottom and sides of each cup. Tap out excess crumbs. Set aside.
Brown the sausage in a heavy-bottomed skillet, mashing with the back of a spoon to break up any large lumps. Th e sausage should be in loose crumbles. Drain well and set aside. Whisk the eggs until frothy and well blended, then add onion, garlic, bell pepper and salt. Whisk in the cheese, then the sausage, incorporating well.
Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each prepared muffin-tin cup, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the eggs feel set to the touch. Run a thin metal spatula around the edges of the cups to remove the “muffins.” Enjoy at once, or let them cool, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and freeze for future use.
From Breakfast in Texas: Recipes for Elegant Brunches, Down-Home Classics, and Local Favorites by Terry Thompson-Anderson, published by the University of Texas Press. Photos by Sandy Wilson.
TERRY THOMPSON-ANDERSON is a professional chef, cookbook author, culinary instructor and restaurant consultant. She has written five cookbooks and numerous articles for various publications. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, The Southern Foodways Alliance and Les Dames d’Escoffier, International.
