Do you have a recipe that reminds you of your childhood? This one is definitely one of mine. I remember my mom making these for my dad’s lunchbox during harvest, and to put in our school lunches. The funny thing is, I hadn’t had these for years and then visited my cousin and she offered me one of these. She told me it was my Uncle Jeff’s ham and cheese muffin recipe….so who knows where this recipe actually originated, but it was obviously a family favourite because we all have some version of it in our recipe box.

This version is a little different than the original - I used a handful of chopped fresh herbs from our garden, and I added garlic to the oil before folding it in. Crispy edges and a warm, bread-y centre. SO GOOD! This recipe makes a big batch and they freeze really well, so I usually use half for dinner or lunches and freeze the other half for a rainy day:)

Recipe

Ham + Cheese Muffins with Garlic and Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 cups shredded old cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped or diced ham
4 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup avocado oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, dill, basil, green onion and italian parsley)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with silicone or paper liners. Note: I always use silicone, but those who have just tried to grease the muffin tin have given me feedback that these stick to a baking tin and are really difficult to get out! So definitely line the muffin tin!
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine. Fold in cheddar and ham.
Add garlic to oil in a small bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and oil/garlic mixture. Fold wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Gently fold in the herbs until spread throughout the dough.
Using a cookie scoop, drop batter into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly pushed down.
Serve warm with butter or freeze and reheat for later!