500 Posts & Mexican Beef and Rice

One of the most important milestones we’ll all hit along the way is the moment when we finally own our unique point of view and realize how priceless it is.

Sarah Ban Breathnach

It feels like there are so many milestones we are about to hit coming up, but doesn’t time do that? Isn’t every day an anniversary of something? Last week was the anniversary of my Granny’s passing. February 18, 2006. 15 years. In a few weeks it will also be the 15th anniversary of losing my Poppy. 2006 was an incredibly hard year for our family.

This got me thinking, not that it has been far away from my mind but as spring break approaches we are coming up on a year since COVID-19 took over our world. I am feeling emotionally drained. Not all milestones/anniversaries are sad though! This year Ninja and I just passed our 4 year anniversary of How Was Your Week, Honey?! I’m coming up on my 15 year smoke-free anniversary, next Tuesday will be our 1 year anniversary of living in our new home and on February 1 I celebrated 8 years of HoneyBears & SydneyBeans!

On February 1, 2013 I put my very first post out into the blogosphere! Since then I’ve taken some breaks, been consistent, been inconsistent 😂, and figured everything else out along the way.

Today, this is my 500th post! 500! Can you believe it? I can’t! 😆 I can remember writing that first post and putting it out there… And not telling a soul 😆. At first I wrote every day like it was my journal, sometimes having lots to say and sometimes just posting pictures. I was a relatively new mom of a 4-year-old and a 2 month old, I was just finding my way in the kitchen and wasn’t sure what this blog was all about. Was it a Mommy blog? Was it a food blog? Or was I just keeping a public diary? 😂

I clearly remember telling my Sister and my Mom, “so, I did a thing.” 😂 I also remember 4 months later when my Mom died and I had no words to describe my loss. My Mom was the one that convinced me to start a blog and to continue without her seemed unimaginable. It was months before I found my voice again. There are days when I have so much to say and some days that I struggle to find meaning in anything.

I’ve learned a lot about myself through blogging, I have always loved writing and through the use of stream of consciousness, I have found a way to tell my stories as well as share my favourite recipes and crafts. I don’t make any money from it but I have made so much more. I have met wonderful people through HoneyBears & SydneyBeans and I have kept a detailed “story” of my life that I can look back on and my children can read too. Later when they aren’t mad about how many poop stories I told about them 😂. Thank you so much for being a part of my journey, being a part of my HoneyBears & SydneyBeans community. To celebrate this milestone here’s a list of 10 of my most popular posts… Since the beginning ❤️.

10. Me Too, Dad’s Birthday & Brown Sugar Meatloaf

9. Big Changes & Monterey Chicken Pasta

8. 6 Years Without my Mom & Creamy Beef and Shells

7. Grocery Challenge Week 1

6. A Secret, an Epiphany & Forgiveness PLUS Beef Stroganoff

5. 7 Day Meal Plan for Healthy & Tasty Dinners

4. Life Changes & Maple Bacon Dijon Chicken with Quinoa

3. Martin Luther King Jr and Gingerbread Waffles

2. My Biggest Fear

1. Pineapple Mango Salsa and Citrus Black Bean Salad

Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #212 Punk Hop HERE! This week we are discussing 2 fantastic music documentaries! Topics: music in Canada, influencers, punishments, cabin fever, Valentines thoughts, US shopping, S.O.W., hip hop and punk!

This recipe has been sitting in my draft file for a while but NO MORE! It is too good to be set aside, “nobody puts (this) Baby in the corner.” 😂 The reason it has been in my draft folder and not in your inbox is because I make so many delicious Mexican dinners that I find it difficult to only post 1 a month, so the rest of these easy and flavourful meals get sidelined. It’s really a very sad situation. This is one of those 1 pot dinners that get your taste buds excited and your tummies grumbling for more!

Mexican Beef and Rice

Adapted from Savory Nothings

1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup rice
1.5 cups broth
1 jar chunky salsa
1 can black beans
1 cup corn canned OR frozen
Shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips….optional

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and beef and cook until browned. Stir in the diced peppers and cook for 1 more minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add the rice, broth, salsa, black beans and corn and stir well.

Bring to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid, reduce the heat and gently cook for around 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Add more broth if necessary.

Top with shredded cheese and cover for another 2 minutes, if you like. Serve with your favourite toppings.

This week I had my weekly date night with my Sis but this week was a little different… 😂.

We also received a beautiful Valentine in the mail from my sweet Nieces 💛. It snowed… and then it melted! Ninja and I got out of the house again this week and enjoyed our first experience at the new Brewery, Neighbourhood Brewing! Yummy beer, delicious tacos and great company made it a great first experience! We may have gone out for lunch once but the rest of our meals were just as good for the rest of the week. Over the weekend, Ninja took the Girls to the newly opened Tickleberry’s that recently opened downtown while I sewed HBear’s new pointe shoes 😒. We cuddled (of course), watched the Oilers, read our new books, did yoga and worked. All in all it was a great week.