Today has started out as “one of those” kind of days that has me double checking the calendar to make sure it isn’t a real Friday the 13th day. I woke up to the smell of a burnt ham. I don’t know how the ham I put in the crockpot last night on low could burn to such a nice charcoal colored crisp. Except it wasn’t turned on low, or it was but someone turned it up. One never knows if one is losing their mind or if someone else felt the need to fiddle with the knobs. Either way, I should have double checked, I know I can’t trust things to stay put, be left alone, or remain in their place long around here.

So there goes the main course for lunch today, I might throw on some chicken breasts later. Right now I have a dessert and a casserole in the oven. Don’t let me burn those as well. Or I will be forced to dig into the bowels of the freezer and look for a frozen pizza. The truth is, I don’t even know if I have to make lunch today. I don’t know if my company will have eaten before they show up, or if they even want to eat lunch. It’s just that when I am not prepared, it’s off for take out, which gets pricey after awhile.

So I’m cooking for one, possibly two, maybe four or more. I shall see later….and I just went ahead and threw some chicken breasts in the oven. I may be eating leftovers for weeks. I can understand the dilemma my grandmother faced every week-end when unsure if family was showing up, have food on hand, eat leftovers for weeks, rinse dishes and repeat again next week-end.

Nothing has been done outside, it’s been too cold, it’s been too hot, it’s been too windy. Rain later tonight, temps near freezing the next couple of nights, and then back to somewhat normal weather for April. It is still April isn’t it? I’ve lost all track of time.

I was out in the garage earlier gathering up all my tools, getting ready to sharpen them when I realized that my bench grinder no longer works. Cue the cuss words and the aggravation. Somehow again, the knob was not only messed with but broken. I haven’t been out in the garage all winter. Elves? Gnomes? Evil sprites? Again I have a guess, but I just have deal with it and move on to find another one on sale.

I can’t find my potting soil, I can’t find half of my buckets. I can’t find my new snap on heads for my Wolf Garten tools, and I can’t find my patience.

Back again from checking on dinner. So far nothing else burned, but worried about the potatoes not being done enough so back they went in the oven. Seriously folks I can cook, really I can. Garden too, really I can, it’s just the gnomes, elves, and sprites who like to throw in those monkey wrenches. I guess I should be thankful Bigfoot hasn’t shown up, (though I had a neighbor who swore he saw one walking a hedge row once on the edge of town). Just what I need, more showing up for dinner. I hope he likes chicken or burnt ham.

I hope everyone had a nice Easter, today is that day to rush to get those discounted chocolate bunnies, malted milk ball eggs, jellybeans and other assorted Easter goodies. I will try and refrain from those clearance aisle items and start lurking in the garden centers for the soon to be incoming plants. But who knows, I might weaken just a little….black jelly beans anyone?

It’s Monday, you know what that means, it’s time for some music for “Music Monday”. Below is a video of a band that has been around awhile but is rather new to me. I think you will enjoy it as well.

Have a wonderful Easter bloggers!

(Another appetizer to go along with your deviled egg platter!)

3 ounces cream cheese

1 cup ground ham

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

grated onion to taste

1/2 cup chopped parsley

Small Pretzel sticks

Combine cream cheese, ground ham, pecans, worcestershire sauce, and onion. Form into about 3 dozen balls. Roll in parsley. Just before serving stick pretzel sticks into each ball to serve. (Don’t stick pretzel sticks in early or they will get soft).

A lot of people are fans of the Reese’s peanut butter eggs in their Easter basket. This is a quick recipe for peanut butter bars that hits all of those peanut butter and chocolate flavor notes.

1 cup (2sticks) of either margarine or butter (softened)

2 cups of graham cracker crumbs

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Mix the above ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a double boiler melt one 12ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1-2 Tablespoons peanut butter over low heat til smooth. Spread on peanut butter base and chill til firm. Cut into bars.

Is there anything that screams Easter more than deviled eggs? A staple at Easter, picnics, buffets, and anywhere else a relatively cheap and easy appetizer or side dish is needed. How one makes their deviled eggs is up for debate.

There are two camps when it comes to deviled eggs, those firmly in the mayo/salad dressing side, and those who staunchly defend their vinegar infused deviled egg base. My sister-in-law is firmly in the latter, and I am in the former.

Deviled eggs makes me think of holidays at Grandmas. When the dish was made, out came the blender. The filling always had to be made in the blender to ensure a very smooth and creamy filling. A recipe was never followed, you just added the ingredients til the right consistency and taste. The boiled egg yokes, mayonnaise or Miracle whip, a bit of yellow mustard, salt, and the secret ingredient…a bit of Grandma’s homemade sweet pickle juice to sweeten the creamy base. No chopped up pickles though, just the juice!

Once that creamy mixture was whirred in the blender and carefully spooned into the waiting egg white base it then had to be topped with a sprinkling of paprika. Skip this step and a very stern look from Great Grandma (who always sat at the table in the midst of cooking mayhem) would point at the tray of naked eggs. No words were needed, it was known what she meant, don’t forget the paprika.

I’m not sure if deviled eggs will grace my Easter table this year, I don’t have any homemade pickle juice, and paprika? I have no idea if there is a jar of the spice in my cabinets. But I will make them sometime this year, just for nostalgia if nothing else.

What about your eggs? Mayo? Vinegar? Yeah? Nah? Hate? Love? What gets your eggs devilish?

Tragedy struck Civatar today as word spread that “Egg” from Nutsy and the Egg fame has gone missing. With Easter on the horizon, fears grow for the fate of the egg. The list of suspects was released and it appears that no one is exempt from suspicion.

At the top of the list of suspects…

Suzi….Who readily admitted to a love of egg salad. Fears grow that Egg will be found sandwiched between two slices of white bread with Mayo and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Til Egg is found, lunch is officially cancelled.

Legacycowgirl…Has a penchant for baking, and has the rumor mill swirling that she has whisked Egg away to meet their demise in a one egg cake. Breaths are being held to hear updates if there is going to be any frosting for the cake.

Lemoncellogman aka Paulo…Is quickly rising to the top of the list. Whispers of a possible Egg napping have been reported, and that he intends to coddle the Egg, and hatch his very own big breasted chick. No doubt he is daydreaming on whether it will be a blonde, brunette, or a redhead.

It is rumored Cosmicrat was seen recently grilling Egg on his party affiliation and that when given the silent treatment from the said Egg, sent it spinning to see if it’s leanings were to the right or to the left. It is unknown if he was aided by a rogue band of vegans who scrambled when trying to be rounded up for questioning.

Many fingers have pointed to the possibility of Vero as being the Egg stealing culprit. It has been reported that she was seen holding up the Egg to her flock of chickens and demanding they produce bigger eggs that are comparable size as to the now missing Egg. “Small egg apathy won’t be tolerated”‘ she crowed.

It has been reported that Greystarfish repeatedly admired the Egg in an almost stalkerish quality. Constantly commenting on how “beautiful” Egg was. However, audible gasps were heard when she last communed with said Egg and called Egg “delicious”. Authorities allege cracks are appearing in her feeble alibi.

Authorities are not ruling out the possibility of Jill and her accomplice Tilly. Close neighbors have reported of her having a grow lab in her basement/laboratory and that they fear that Egg will never see the light of day. Work is underway in the gruesome task of sifting through potting soil to make sure the missing victim has not been buried in the hopes of the suspect growing eggplant in the garden this year.

Speculation continues on whether the hunchback Quasi had any part in the missing Egg. A loner who plays with matches, has drawn suspicion that Egg may have met it’s fate with Quasi trying to teach the Egg to fly by tossing it from the bell tower. Anger over such a fate has villagers up in arms.

Suspicion has fallen on Julie who reportedly left town recently after Egg’s disappearance. Questionable excuses of her work/job being finished has tongues wagging that Egg is no longer even in the vicinity.

Itwasntme has drawn suspicion by their very name alone. “We thinks thought dost protest too much”, was quoted by an anonymous source when asked about the suspect.

Dio, himself is not above suspicion and local police have been questioning him on a possible “Comic strip block”, that there was a dispute between the Egg and Nutsy and that Dio had sided with Nutsy on the issue. It has been rumored that Dio even commented that he had Egg “in his back pocket” when it came to his comic strip screen time. Let’s just hope if Dio was the culprit, he remembers to take Egg out of his back pocket before sitting down to make another strip.

We will bring further reports as they come in, right now we can only scratch the surface of this perplexing sage of the missing Egg.

Another new day, a new week, new issues, responsibilities, and challenges. But if one turns on the news, it’s the same old stuff. It feels like a merry-go-round of recycled items just with different viewpoints and opinions. I miss the days were journalists reported the news with facts and not opinions.

For this music Monday, I tried to go with something rather Easter-ish. Can you think of a song that pertains to something about Easter? I realize that makes for a wide interpretation. Have fun thinking of something and feel free to blog a song for the theme for this music Monday.

A survey I saw on Facebook that I thought might be fun over here. I hope you can take a moment and join in the fun. Just copy and paste below in the comments and fill in your answers.

1. Who are you named after?

2. Last time you cried?

3. Do you like your handwriting?

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?

5. Longest relationship?

6. Do you still have your tonsils?

7. Would you bungee jump?

8. What is your favorite kind of cereal?

9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

10. Do you think you’re strong-willed?

11. Favorite ice cream?

12. What is the first thing you notice about a person?

13. Football or baseball?

14. What color pants are you wearing?

15. Last thing you ate?

16. What are you listening to?

17. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

18. What is your favorite smell?

19. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?

20. Married?

21. Hair color?

22. Eye Color?

23. Favorite food to eat?

24. Scary movies or happy endings?

25. Last movie you watched In a theater?

26. What color shirt are you wearing?

27. Favorite holiday?

28. Beer or wine?

29. Night owl or morning person?

30. Favorite day of the week?

31. Favorite animal?

32. Do you have a pet?

33. Where would you like travel?

I have a friend named Mark that I met over on Blogster years ago. I invited him to Shmoozezone and he showed up there every so often and posted in the forum with his quirky humor filled stories. I am connected with him on Facebook as well where he has a group on odd food dishes, stories and some of his puzzles.

I thought I would try the idea of his puzzles on here to see if anyone enjoys the mental challenge. I’ll post an easy one or two for today. The puzzle can be a book, movie, saying, song lyrics, show tune, etc. Look at the pics at the top from left to right and the bottom row from left to right and post your guess/answer below in the comments.

And a second puzzle if you are on a roll and figured out the first puzzle. Again, read the pictures from the top left to right, and then the bottom row of pics, left to right.

Good luck and have fun with your guesses!