I have recently been thumbing through my past “Works For Me Wednesday” posts and realized I’d been taking part in this round-up for quite a while! I have some backlogged posts I thought I’d pull out today….a couple of them being the most-searched-for topics on Muses of Megret.

So, today, enjoy what has workED for me!
Then head over to this week’s guest host, Rocks In My Dryer, for more WFMWs. Lots of great ideas!

1. For the perfect cup of coffee, do these things.

2. Cleaning and sanitizing bath toys

3. Softer nose wiping solution

4. Organizing Barbie (and her many accessories!)

…I wrote about fun ways to bolster creativity.

Check it out.

Monday, March 1st – Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Monday:
Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup
Breadsticks

Tuesday:
Mexican Black Bean Rice Bowls
Tortilla Chips

Wednesday:
Spinach Frittata
Grits
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Thursday:
Beef Stroganoff
Egg Noodles
Steamed Broccoli
Baguette

Friday:
Grilled Hot Dogs
Baked Beans
Sun Chips
Gingerbread Men Cookies

Saturday:
Mom’s Chicken-Almond Casserole
Green Peas
Yeast Rolls

Sunday:
Vegan Burritos
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips with Salsa

- Mad Men Yourself.

- Love this new ad from Old Spice. Husband tells me it’s one continuous video shot with well-choreographed set changes….and it’s funny.

- Heart of the Matter Online’s March 2010 online magazine theme: Focus on Reading. Great & helpful articles here!

- Love this handmade word family game from The Snail’s Trail! Just another creative use for paint chips…

And I have addiction.

I am hooked on the AMC original series Mad Men.

I said I wouldn’t get swept up by another multi-season television drama. Now that LOST is in its last season, I began to feel somewhat relieved that the end of it would mean the end of my frantic running-to-the-television and frantic DVR’ing. (After all, I have been watching it since the pilot, airing on 9/22/04.)

But one after another, people began asking me if I had seen Mad Men yet. “OH, Meg. Meg. It’s right up your alley, girl. You have to give it a try.”

(For those of you who haven’t seen it, it’s an hour-long show about advertising executives in Manhattan (Madison Avenue) in the early 1960s.)

So I did.

Oh, there’s plenty of things I dislike about the show. Like:

- Incessant cigarette smoking….at home, in the office, in the doctor’s office, in cars with the windows rolled up, while pregnant.
- Wacked-out parenting. Like asking your child to prepare and serve mixed drinks to you and your dinner company. And letting the answer to all parent-child strife be, “Not now. Go watch television.” And the general ignoring of kids overall.
- The myriad of extramarital affairs. Those are abounding on this show. It’s to the point of making me mad, really.

But then there is the raw and gutted portrayal of the interior workings of a profession that I’ve always found fascinating. And there’s the music. And the fashions. (Oh, the fashions.)

And the hairstyles. And the cars. And the retro jingles. And the artwork/architecture.

And the marvel that offices everywhere once ran effectively without the use of (gasp!) computers and email and fax machines.

The uncomfortable, taboo subjects that are hit head-on, unabashedly. The brilliant script writing and the clever and abundant use of flashbacks (and irony).

And the seemingly perfect home life that, for many, was really not as rosy as the 60s ads painted them to be.

And the fashions. (Did I mention the fashions?)

I am SO not alone in my affection for this show. There is blog after blog all about the episodes, cast, and fans. HarperCollins is working on a coffee table book all about it. Folks take notice of what Betty Draper cooks and publish recipes in similar style.

And apparently fashion-minded folks see the show as inspiration in many ways, as well: Banana Republic launched a Mad Men-inspired clothing line.

So I don’t feel guilty about liking such a show. It’s just pure entertainment. And it falls right in line with my ever-present love of all-things-kitchy. I’m going to look forward to the Season 4 start along with all the other fans.

And perhaps dress up in belted tubular dress with heels (& a clutch purse for my red lipstick) to celebrate.

Tell me — what’s your favorite television show right now? The one that you can’t stand to miss?

Like a good recipe for something that you don’t want to let go. It took many trials and errors to find just the right version of a dish. Once you find that true one, why look elsewhere?

This couldn’t be more true when it comes to the quintessential chocolate layer cake. I’ve eaten and baked many of them. Yet this one stands out among them all. It’s foolproof. It’s decadent. It’s simple yet unforgettable.

I give you:

Hershey’s Deep Dark Chocolate Cake
(recipe via Hershey’s)

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 13×9x2-inch baking pan. (*I use 2 8-inch round pans to make a taller cake.)
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.)

To make frosting, beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Stir in vanilla. Frost in between layers and on sides and top of stacked round cake layers, or just the top of a rectangular cake.

Enjoy!

Head to Rocks In My Dryer, this week’s host of Works for Me Wednesday, for more terrific tips and ideas!

To help you celebrate the day to the fullest, here are some fun links:

Head to Seussville for fun interactive online games and other activities.

How to celebrate Read Across America Day with your child (via eHow).

Author Mo Willems (Knufflebunny) shares how to make reading more fun.

Combine superheroes with pre-reading skills? Simple as pie, says Super Why! (Our kids adore learning along with these guys.)

100 books every child should hear before kindergarten (via Pierce County Library).

And last but not least, Heart of the Matter Online’s March 2010 issue is out: Focus on Reading. I’ve contributed some tips from our family for the “How We Teach Reading” article….and there are a ton of other great articles to check out.

They’re forecasting a snowstorm here today, so it’s the perfect day for cuddling up with some good books at our house.

Have fun reading!

Monday, February 22nd – Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Monday:
Homemade Veggie Pizza

Tuesday – National Pancake Day!:
Buttermilk Pancakes
Scrambled Eggs

Wednesday:
Basil Chicken with Coconut Curry Sauce
Jasmine Rice
Green Peas

Thursday:
Dinner at inlaws’

Friday:
Date Night

Saturday:
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Homemade Sandwich Style White Bread

Sunday:
Baked Ziti
Steamed Broccoli
Rosemary Ciabatta Rolls

- Read to your kids or grandkids from miles away thanks to Readeo.

- Did you know that FamilyFun has several printable quizzes?…great for parties, sleepovers, or boredom-filled winter days.

- Do you want passionate kids? Let them be/let them choose. (via msnbc)

- SimpleMom gives us 19 tips for making the home paperless.

Yet these slinky six-legged creatures are still created by God, very vital to our ecosystem, and we do need to learn about them….even if I look at the photos, books, videos, and slideshows with one eye closed. ;)

Want a fun way to explain and help your child visualize the life cycle of a butterfly? With spring just around the corner, I know thoughts and plans will be leaning in this direction….

I found this idea from a teacher-themed website years ago. It’s simple and effective…not to mention fun!

Materials:
Four pasta pieces, one of each for each child, in these four types: Rotini, Orzo, Bowtie, and Jumbo Shell
Paper Plates
Acrylic or tempera paints
Glue

Have your child paint each of his/her four pasta shapes as desired. Let dry.

Glue the pastas onto the paper plates as follows:
- Orzo at 12 o’clock
- Rotini at 3 o’clock
- Jumbo Shell at 6 o’clock
- Bowtie at 9 o’clock

Draw a simple diagram using arrows and labeling each stage of butterfly life: Egg, caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly.