National Cheesecake Day

In honor of National Cheesecake Day, here's the link to a Sour Cream Cherry Cheesecake recipe I posted last year.  This cheesecake tastes like the real deal, but it starts with a mix!

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A Well Stocked Refrigerator

After I posted a blog about a well stocked pantry, several readers emailed and asked what I keep in my refrigerator and freezer.  I'm happy to share the information, but it's not as well stocked as my pantry!

Right now in my refrigerator, I have a variety of condiments -- mayonnaise, catsup, mustard, jelly -- salad dressings, bacon bits, pickles and pickle relish.  I also have lemon juice and Parmesan cheese which I use on a fairly regular basis.  I also keep a bottle of corn syrup on hand.  I don't use corn syrup in a lot of recipes, but I use it enough that I finish the bottle before the expiration date.

We drink a lot of milk so there's always one if not two gallons of 1% milk in the refrigerator.  Eggs are also a staple at our house as is margarine.

Things are a little more interesting in the meat/cheese drawer.

I keep a package of bacon on hand.  It's great for breakfast, but I also use it in dishes such as green bean bundles, easy stove top beans and marinated pork tenderloin.  Luncheon meat of one kind or another is in the drawer as is cheese.  We love cheese as is evidenced by the packages of Cheddar, American and string cheese!

I keep fruit on hand all the time.  The day the picture was taken I had grapes, but apples, oranges and fresh pineapple also make a regular appearance in this drawer.

The contents of the vegetable drawer change from week to week.  There's almost always a package of salad mix and baby carrots.  There's no baby carrots in this picture because we finished them a couple of days before the picture was taken.  On this particular day, the drawer contained broccoli which was going to be steamed as a side dish plus a stalk of celery some of which was used in a casserole.

My freezer compartment isn't very interesting either.  I don't make biscuits or pie crusts so I keep a package of each in the freezer, along with a carton of Cool Whip.  I try to keep garlic bread, single size servings of macaroni and cheese and several varieties of frozen vegetables on hand. I find it helpful to keep frozen breakfast items on hand for mornings when I don't have time to cook.  I keep a one pound package of ground beef in the freezer plus packages of precooked meatballs and precooked country fried steak.  These three items are real time savers when plans change and I need to alter the menu on short notice.

When it comes to perishables, I prefer to buy them as I need them.  That way, they'll be fresh plus they're not taking up space in the refrigerator. What are your indispensable items for the refrigerator or freezer?

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 1

The number one recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Mini Mason Jar Cakes. This summertime canning staple is a creative way to bake and serve cakes, cobblers, pies and crisps.

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 2

The second most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Quick and Easy Lemon Bars.  This recipe only uses five ingredients and one of them is a cake mix!  It was the number one recipe on my blog until two months ago.

The Top Ten Countdown: Number 3

The third most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Baked Salmon Patties.  This recipe is a healthy alternative to the traditional fried version.

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 4

The fourth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.  This easy to prepare recipe doesn't skimp on flavor plus it's award winning!

  

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 5

The fifth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Sausage Balls. These are usually served as an appetizer, but they're also good as an entree.

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 6

The sixth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Dried Beef Gravy. Whether you serve it with biscuits or toast points, you'll say it's good gravy!

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 7

The seventh most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Lime Jello Salad.  This recipe lets you enjoy jello without the jiggle.

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 8

The eighth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Halloween for Little Ghouls.  This blog has ideas to make fun Halloween food for kids or the young at heart.

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 9

The ninth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole.  This casserole tastes as though you started with made from scratch mashed potatoes, but you don't buy these potatoes in the produce department!

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The Top Ten Countdown: Number 10

The tenth most popular recipe on Margaret's Morsels is Oodles of Noodles Lasagna.  Not only does this recipe give traditional lasagna a twist, it's ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.

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California Dreamin'

I've never written much about my personal life.  I'd like to think what I write is more important than the person doing the writing.  However, I'm going to be doing something different with "Margaret's Morsels" for the next two weeks and wanted to offer an explanation.

My son is a competitive fencer and is competing in the U.S. National Championships.  My husband and I flew to California with him to watch him compete on the national level for the first time.  Once upon a time, I would have written blogs to post while I'm out of town, but I'm not that organized any more.

Rather than not post anything for two weeks, I thought it would be fun to count down the top 10 recipes on Margaret's Morsels.  By the time the number one recipe is revealed, I'll be home, caught up from the trip and ready to post new recipes.  Check back tomorrow for the number 10 recipe.

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