Amazing Muffin Cups

Sometimes you find recipes in the most unusual places. A recent e-mail from AAA (the trip planner and auto service company) had this recipe for Amazing Muffin Cups. I'm not sure that these would travel well, or that it's something you would want to make while traveling, or if it even would give you more time for travel - but they were good. I'd seen similar recipes before, but usually for a large egg type casserole. I like this one because it makes 12 individual servings, which can be refrigerated or frozen for future meals. We had this for a light supper with a fruit salad and toast, and the extras are in the freezer for a quick breakfast or brunch. I think these would work well for a morning meeting as well. You could make the hash brown 'basket', bake it, and add the egg mixture and finish baking just before serving.

Amazing Muffin Cups
(prep time: 20 minutes)
(cook time: 25 minutes)
Yield: 12 servings

3 cups refrigerated shredded hash browns
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 (I used 8) breakfast sausage links
6 eggs
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
chopped fresh chives or green onions, for garnish

Spray 12 cups of muffin pan with cooking spray (be generous with the spray!) In a bowl, combine hash browns, butter, salt and pepper. Press hash brown mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, cook sausage according to package directions; cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Divide sausage between muffin cups. Combine eggs, cheese and bell pepper. Pour over sausage. Sprinkle with chives. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until set.

Hash brown 'baskets' with sausage

Ready to bake