Thursday, May 8, 2014

Hearty Ham and Cheese Muffins for On-the-go Breakfasts


These hearty ham and cheese muffins are great for on-the-go breakfasts for days when you’re too busy to cook in the mornings. They can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container for a couple of days or wrapped individually in plastic wrap and placed in individual zip lock bags. The cheese and ham helps keep the muffins nice and moist and they can be eaten either at room temperature or reheated gently in the microwave.

When Rizzi from The New York Baking Company asked me if I would like to try their silicone baking cups, I was thrilled because it gave me an opportunity to pull out one of my favorite muffin recipes from the files to use to test the baking cups. Made from BPA free silicone and FDA approved, the cups are nonporous, stain proof, and reusable. They are amazingly flexible and my muffins released perfectly from the cups after baking in a 400 degree oven. They are so colorful that you can’t help but smile as you fill the cups with the batter. Kids will find them a lot of fun to use too. The silicone baking cups are available at Amazon, link here, for $9.95. They are oven and microwave safe and can be used in the dishwasher. With these fabulous silicone cups I’m now environmentally friendly. There’ll be no more peeling the paper off with crumbs falling everywhere when I bake muffins - no more paper muffin cups for me.


I’ve never seen another recipe quite like these muffins because in addition to flour, they contain cornmeal and grits and remind me somewhat of southern cornbread in taste and texture, meaning they are hearty and have body and aren’t the cakey rather sweet cornbread I associate with northern style. This recipe has been in my files for a very long time and I don’t remember where it came from. I cut the ham and cheese cubes a bit too small this time. They should be about the size of an English pea. With the cheese and ham the muffins are very filling and would also make a nice breakfast at home with a smear of red raspberry jam or sweet butter and a glass of orange juice.


Hearty Ham and Cheese Breakfast Muffins
From My Carolina Kitchen - yield 1 dozen muffins
Printable recipe

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 ounces cooked ham (I used a ham steak), cut into cubes the size of English peas
2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into the same size cubes as the ham
1 cup milk
½ cup instant grits
3 tablespoons neutral tasting oil such as canola
2 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, chopped ham and cheese cubes in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and set aside.

Place milk in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 120 to 130 degrees F. Remove from heat and cool to 105 to 115 degrees F.  Sprinkle the instant grits into the warm milk and stir well to combine. Combine the oil and eggs into a bowl. Add the warm grits mixture and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients from above, stirring just until combined. Spoon batter into muffin cups (I used silicone baking cups) that have been coated with cooking spray, filling ¾ full.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degrees F oven for 20 – 25 minutes.  I like to check for doneness about 5 minutes prior to what the recipe calls for since ovens can vary.

Muffins can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container for a couple of days or wrapped individually in plastic wrap and placed in individual zip lock bags. Yield: 1 dozen.


This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Simple Recipes, & Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter.  
Have a great weekend everyone and to all the mothers, 
I hope you have a very happy Mother’s Day.

48 comments:

  1. I think these would be nice with a salad or soup as well.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. I love silicone baking cups, especially for cupcakes! And wow I love these muffins! What a great idea for breakfast... and I do love the addition of cornmeal.

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  3. definitely trying this...my son would love them as would I. Stopping by from Full plate Thursday

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  4. Couldn't be easier and great for a brunch too. Happy Mother's Day from the Sous Chef!

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  5. These sound really good. Can you freeze them? Those muffin cups are cute!

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    1. Penny, I've never frozen them, but if wrapped properly I think you could definitely freeze them.
      Sam

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  6. Very nice recipe, especially including the grits. Also love those muffin cups.

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  7. Great recipe Sam. Those silicone muffin cups are so festive! You and I are cooking up muffins, flans in my case.

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  8. I'm a breakfast eater; Mr. Rosemary is not. I need these in my freezer -- and you have me sold on the silicone baking cups, too! I seem to be always running out of the paper ones, and hate to clean muffin tins.

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  9. I lie the idea of using the silicone cups for making these savoury muffins Sam.

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  10. I think the silicone baking products are the best! I have a lot of them and use them all the time.
    Your muffins look totally delicious, Sam. Love the cornmeal AND grits in there. (Is there anything better than grits for breakfast?? Rarely make them for myself, but in our recent trip to Savannah, I had them every morning!)

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  11. Another lover of silicone here..Fun you received them ..feels like a mini Christmas..or big:)
    They look grand Sam!

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  12. I've looked at the silicone baking cups many a time but I always passed them by. Now I'm off to get some. Thanks for your review.

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  13. Hi Sam, Happy Spring! There are two great things going on in this post!

    First your fabulous recipe! How delicious, and I'll bet your home smelled amazing! These would be nice to serve with a hot bowl of chili on a cool night or a five-bean salad for a nice summer lunch or side dish! I would definitely make a double batch and freeze them!

    The second thing about this post is, I love the cupcake bakers! How unique!

    Have a lovely weekend!

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  14. Sam, These meaty cheesy muffins are right in my wheelhouse! Its truly a substantial and satisfying breakfast...and breakfast is my favorite meal,,, The concept of the silicone baking cups is a great idea too! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  15. Gorgeous muffins! Mouthwatering and deliciously cheesy.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  16. These look delicious!!.. and I love the idea of those muffin cups.

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  17. They look delicious Sam and I like muffins like these - I might have to slip just a we bit of crispy bacon in though.

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  18. I love savoury muffins, Sam. Actually these would be great with either soup or salad for the lunch too.

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  19. You are the first person I know that has used silicone for baking. If these are the result I guess I will be picking up some. Your savory muffins sound wonderful.

    Madonna
    MakeMineLemon

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  20. these look fun for a road tip also

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  21. I just used my extra ham for something different this morning, but will keep this in mind for the next time Sam! I know I'd like these:@)

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  22. These sound really good! And I love those baking cups.

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  23. Hi Sam, my family would love these muffins. We love bread with cheese and the addition of ham makes them even better. The muffin cups look adorable, what will they think of next.

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  24. Delicious, Sam - I could very happily devour a couple of those for breakfast, and I love your bright and colourful muffin cups.

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  25. You must have known I was hungry. And, even when I am not hungry, I am after visiting you.♥

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  26. These look delicious. I've been contemplating making some cheese and bacon muffins, but ham and cheese would be great too. I love that these use cornmeal. Found you at Foodie Fridays.

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  27. Love those bright muffin cups! I would smile just looking at them in my pantry. I am getting hungry just looking at your delicious muffins. Great idea and I think I know two little boys who would love these.

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  28. Oh, these sound so good Sam. I love a savory muffin but don't have many recipes for them. I love that they have cornmeal and grits, definitely so southern!

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  29. Oh Sam these would absolutely get me out of bed in the morning! love the silicone muffin liners!
    Mary

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  30. These sound so hearty and delicious, with grits in them too? I need these, my breakfast usually consists of a boring English muffin!

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  31. Love this idea. And interesting combo with the grits/cornmeal/flour. I think your comment about "northern style" cornbread is interesting. One of these days I'll get to try some official southern cornbread. I'm really confused about what makes northern and southern.

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    1. Lea Ann,

      Southern cornbread to me is all about the cornmeal with some flour and very little sugar, a firmer textured muffin than norther and served at dinner time with sweet butter or a glass of buttermilk. Northern cornbread on the other hand uses more flour in the batter and also contains more sugar, leaving it with a sweeter taste. It is a more cake-like bread than southern and is served primarily at breakfast with syrup. As a southerner, it figures that I prefer the cornbread that I grew up with :)
      Sam

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  32. I know I would enjoy these muffins. Most cornmeal muffins are too sweet for me but yours sound wonderful with the ham and cheese added to them.

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  33. I've wondered if those silicon cups were good!

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  34. YUM! These muffins look great...and yes, I would grab a bunch of them for breakfast..somehow I prefer a savory muffin instead of a sweet one.
    Have a beautiful weekend Sam :D

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  35. Sam, these are perfect muffins for any time! Grits, cornmeal, cheese and ham---beats any muffin I've seen and is a must try! Thanks for the recipe!

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  36. Wonderful muffins!!! And I love the idea of those silicone baking cups :)

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  37. My mornings are hectic and I eat everyday in my car on the way to work. These are hearty and go really well with the on the go cup of coffee too!

    Happy Mother's Day!

    Velva

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  38. Sam, these sound really, really good. I hope your weekend was beautiful!! Blessings, Catherine xo

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  39. i am already getting a list of breakfast on the go ideas for when my son goes to Kinder next year:) i am excited and sad! I love this idea for breakfast

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  40. Hi Sam,
    Your Hearty Ham and Cheese Muffins will be perfect for the upcoming boating season here. Just send a basket of these with the fisherman and they will be good for go. I really like the addition of grits to the recipe. Hope you had a great Mothers Day weekend. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a great week!
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  41. Do these freeze well? I would love to have these in the freezer for the kids to heat up. Thanks for sharing them on foodie friday. PInned.

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    1. Diane, someone else asked the same question and the answer is I have never frozen them, I wish I could give you a definitive answer but I don't see any reason why they would not freeze well if properly wrapped.
      Sam

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