Recipe: Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Muffins with Sausage and Jalapeno

FARMHOUSE MUFFINS WITH SAUSAGE AND JALAPENO
"The muffins' origin story goes back to when I wanted a savory breakfast treat and so browned some sausage from the Whole Ox Butcher Shop across the street, then folded it into a muffin batter. Pickled jalapenos were a natural partner, along with cheese for some bite and cream cheese to mellow everything out."


"The muffins at the bakery are jumbo size, but we've scaled back the recipe here to accommodate standard muffin pans. If you want to make the larger version, use a jumbo or Texas-size muffin pan and increase the baking time to 25 to 30 minutes."

3/4 cup sugar
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeno pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more (optional) for sprinkling
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into pieces
2 cups coarsely crumbled cooked breakfast sausage (from 1 pound raw, no casings; some crispy bits are nice)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the wells of a standard muffin pan (or two with vegetable oil spray, line with paper liners, and spray the inside of the liners.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, use a fork to whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and milk. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just to combine. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the pickled jalapeno, cheddar, cream cheese, and sausage just until evenly distributed. The batter will be thick.

4. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan(s), filling each well to the top. Sprinkle more cheese on top of each portion, if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

5. Let cool slightly in the pan, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve within a few hours, or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes 12 to 15 regular muffins, or 8 to 10 jumbo muffins
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: The Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook, Sweet and Savory Comfort Food from America's Favorite Rural Bakery by Brian Noyes, photographs by Angie Mosier