Bacon and Egg Savory Breakfast Muffins

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat a standard muffin tin with cooking spray or olive oil.

Place 6 slices of raw bacon in a large cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium and fry until the bacon is very crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, let it cool, and then crumble into small bits.

In the same skillet, drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Add 4 ounces of raw breakfast sausage, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook over medium-high heat until browned and fully cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set aside.

While the meats cook, prepare the vegetables: Wash and finely chop 1 cup of fresh spinach. Wash, seed, and finely dice 0.5 of a red bell pepper. Trim and thinly slice 2 stalks of green onions. Grate 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 6 large eggs, 0.5 cup whole milk, 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder, 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined.

Sift 0.5 cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder into the egg mixture. Whisk gently until the batter is smooth and no large lumps remain.

Fold the crumbled bacon, cooked sausage, chopped spinach, diced bell pepper, sliced green onions, and 0.75 cup of the grated cheddar cheese into the batter using a spatula.

Distribute the mixture evenly among 9-12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle the remaining 0.25 cup of cheddar cheese over the tops.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the muffins have risen, the tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before using a butter knife to gently loosen the edges and remove them. Serve warm.