Chocolate-Bacon Mini Muffins!!

At the office, I'm a member of the department's Friday Morning Breakfast Club.  How does it work?  I'm glad you asked!

Each of the Breakfast Club members agrees to bring breakfast for the rest of the group twice during a two month cycle.  If you are a member of the group you get to enjoy the offerings every week.

So, today it was up to me, and my co-worker Carlie to supply breakfast to the department.  She brought a yummy cinnamon roll cake, and I brought chocolate-bacon mini muffins.  I found the recipe in the January/February issue of GRIT....

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup melted butter (or walnut oil)
1 T strong coffee
1 tsp Vanilla
1 large egg
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips, divided

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin pans with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray.

2.  Fry bacon until done but not yet crispy.  Transfer to paper-towel lined plate and cool.  Once cool, chop into 1/4 inch pieces.  Set aside.

I used my trusty flat cast iron griddle.

3.  In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk together.

4. In separate bowl, combine water, oil, coffee, vanilla and egg.  Stir together.  Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and half the bacon.

5. Add this mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moist.

6. Divide batter evenly among 12 regular muffin cups (or same amount of batter will make around 42 mini muffins).  Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and remaining bacon evenly over batter.

7. Bake for 15 minutes (around 10 for mini muffins - check your oven), or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for five minutes before serving.  Store leftovers (if you have any!) in refrigerator.

Before taking the muffins to work, I tried them out on my favorite test subject Baby Huck.  He loved his samples... all three of them!!

He was a big fan of the "CHOK-IT MUFFNS"!!

I took 40 mini muffins to work, and brought home two... so I think they were a success!!!