Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°.

Step 2

Grease and flour muffin pans.

Step 3

Preheat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Take skin off sausage (if any) and break into smaller pieces. Once skillet is heated, add crumbled sausage and cook until nicely browned, stirring occasionally. As sausage is browning, break into smaller pieces if necessary. Set aside.

Step 4

(Optional: While the sausage is cooking, you can slice your cherry tomatoes into slices about 1/8″ thick. You don’t want them any thinner than that. Lay the slices on a paper towel and then lay another paper towel over the slices and blot away any moisture. The seeds will probably fall off and that’s okay. The idea is you don’t want water from the tomatoes getting in your batter.)

Step 5

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

Step 6

In medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and egg.

Step 7

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir. Before the mixture is completely mixed together, add the sausage, cheese, and green onions. Stir all ingredients together, making sure the additions are evenly incorporated. Try not to over-mix it.

Step 8

Divide batter into muffin pans.

Step 9

If using tomatoes, add one slice to the top of each muffin.

Step 10

Lightly sprinkle sea salt and fresh ground pepper over the tops of the muffins. (I used a medium coarse setting for the pepper to give it an extra spicy flavor.)

Step 11

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown or until toothpick test comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool muffins in pan for 15 minutes before removing them.

Step 12

Best served warm. But I found that you could leave them out for a brunch and they taste just fine at room temperature.