Cheesy Bacon Muffins

When a craving hits me and it's not for chocolate, chances are it's a craving for bacon.  Throw in some cheese and count me in.

I found these muffins easy to make and quite good.  They would be perfect for breakfast paired with scrambled eggs or with a bowl of soup for dinner.  Of course, it's too hot around here for soup right now but keep these in mind when the cooler days come creeping along.

2 cups self-rising flour

3/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

2 tablespoons sugar

6 strips crispy bacon, crumbled
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl; stir in crumbled bacon.  Whisk together milk, oil (I substituted 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce) and eggs, add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened.

Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin pans, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.  I had to bake these about 5 minutes longer to get enough goldenness.

I sometimes substitute applesauce for oil in a recipe to cut down on the calorie count and by using the unsweetened kind it doesn't change the sugar measurement.  If it calls for much more oil than the 1/4 cup here, I might do a half oil, half applesauce combination.  The results might be a little spongier, but usually lighter and very moist.

Linked to Breakfast on the Go at Gooseberry Patch