First things first
You all may have noticed a few minor changes around the ol’ Chocolate Medals lately, or really since the New Year. As 2013 was wrapping up, I started noticing (feeling?) like my blog was becoming a place I “had to go” three times a day, at least during the week. I felt like I was a disappointment if I didn’t, and wrote even when I didn’t have much to say.
I love Chocolate Medals, it’s my little internet home and where I’ve connected with SO many amazing and inspiring people. When I started to feel like the quality of the blog was being affected, I knew that I needed to make some changes. Since then, I have posted twice, and sometimes even once a day. With intention. While I recognize that I’m not writing anything Earth shattering over here, I do feel like while I am writing less, I am writing MORE. Better. And that’s what matters to me.
The community that I have connected with via the blog (family and friends at home, as well as all the new people I’ve met all over the world that have become fast friends) are the most important thing to me. I want to give you guys something worth coming back to :). So I hope you all don’t mind the fewer posts, and keep coming back. And while we’re at it, PLEASE email me (chocolatemedals@gmail.com) with anything you may want me to address here! I’d love your ideas and opinions.
This was actually sparked today when I realized that my gmail had been “spaming” my wordpress emails. . . so I was missing comments. I was going through all the ones I missed over the past week or so and was overwhelmed with how much I love you guys 🙂
Moving on . . .
Tonight was a SPECTACULAR dinner that USED to be a regular in the Jara household. MEXICAN BAKES! These are GREAT garbage meals (look at my EASY MEALS tab to find more of these meals) for whatever produce is left in the fridge . . . and a great new way to do Mexican.
Mexican Bake
Ingredients
- 1 can of refried beans
- 2 roma tomatos
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 yellow pepper
- 1/2 green pepper
- 2 pieces of bacon
- 1 sweet potato
- Chips/tortillas for garnish
- Cheese for topping (I used cheddar and colby)
- Side greens of choice
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 and boil water
- Cut your sweet potato into bite size pieces and steam for 20 minutes
- Prepare your bacon (we grilled it)
- Begin layering your bake (you could easily use a ramekin but we used french onion bowls)
- Start with refried beans as your base
- Add the veggies and bacon however you like
- Top with cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes
- ENJOY!

Building the beautyWe eat too much pizza: I posted the pictures of prepped veggies on instagram and my twin automatically through pizza night. Upps 🙂 #lifeisallaboutbalance
Have a great night guys! Almost the weekend 🙂
Question of the Night: Your opinion. Is less sometimes more in the blog world, or do you like constant posting?
I have been blogging less lately too. One, I just don’t have the time and I don’t want to write too much. I too, actually like connecting with my readers and trying to comment on their blogs too. It’s funny, because you “meet” these bloggers online but never really get to meet them….sometimes I wish we could get a whole bunch of us tog here and run a race 1/2 way between where we all live. Ha!
Ps, your dinner looks delish!
Let’s do it! lol
Less is more. I post when I gots something to say, no more no less. Dinner looks delicious, as usual Jaras!
Thank you 🙂
I’m always looking for more ways to cook sweet potatoes and this sounds really fun with a bunch of different flavors. I may need to put this on the list once I can eat tomatoes and onions again :] And just so you know, the love of your blog is shown through your writing and through your comments to other bloggers. We are very critical of ourselves, but I enjoy stopping by your page and I always make sure I take a read.
Awwe thank you hun — that really does mean a lot to me!
We’ll,I’ve just found your blog so you are brand new to me 🙂 It does get hard to write an interesting post when you’ve hoist had an ordinary day. I feel like I start to sound like a broken record. You had me at cheese!
Best kind of dinner. And I like it all. 🙂
I thought you might approve 🙂
Blogging is for your own pleasure first and foremost: you should blog as little or as much as you like!
Absolutely agree — great advice!
I think less is definitely more… a post worth reading is worth far more than 7 posts of the “inspiring quotes” that some people feel it is necessary to put up every 5 mins. Or (as i have just read for some reason) the entire contents of a persons kitchen cupboards…
your posts are always worth reading mind you 😀 you should just write when you feel like it…and don’t feel obligated to post a certain number of times. I promise not to run away if you don’t post all the time…eve if I did you are undoubtedly a faster runner than me and could catch up in no time!
Awwe thank you! And LOL — Don’t doubt yourself it would be a good race 😉
😀
I do think less is more many times, for both the blogger and the readers. It gives you a chance to write in a way that is fresh and doesn’t take the fun away from blogging. Blog when you feel it’s right and people will be naturally attracted to the heart behind those posts, my motto at least 🙂
I totally agree 🙂
I like less, I would rather read something that has depth and meaning than a quick post. I like to read blogs when their is substance, not when people are just posting to post. I love your updated look to the blog by the way!
And your dinner looks super yummy!
Thanks hun! 🙂
I am of a less is more. Which for me really less these days. My life is pretty routine and I am not in specific race training, and I don’t share too much of my personal life on my blog. My twitter and instagram on the other hand have plenty of my daily life and some oversharing! 🙂
I try to make my posts have more depth these days. I have no problem reading others who post frequently, especially when their lives are more interesting than mine and they have lots to share!
My instagram and twitter have definitely been feeling the love lately as well 🙂
Next you should do an Irish bake.
What would that include? ha
Ha, dunno – potatoes, lamb, guinness, oysters, cheddar…
OMG Mexican bake! That looks amazing! I was totally wrong when I thought you were making pizza 😉
LOL it made me laugh when you thought that though 🙂
😀
Dinner looks fab!
Thanks 🙂
Oh, more lovely food pictures! I’ve just told my fiancé – who isn’t a big vegetable eater – about this, he said it sounds great soooo I know what we’re having for tea next week! 🙂
YAY! That’s great 🙂 Hope you like it!
I always feel like I am neglecting you when I don’t get to all of your posts 🙂
Awwe see thats why I love all my readers 🙂
Sometimes less is more (or that’s what I tell myself when I missed a day or two in posting 🙂 )
I certainly think so