Crockpot Shredded Beef Tacos and a Fall Mantel

I'm always on the prowl for new recipes, especially ones that are easy, tasty, and healthy (Like my Chicken Tortelloni Soup or My Famous Chicken Chili.) Crockpot recipes are usually very easy, since I can throw the ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook all day. I found a great-sounding recipe for slow-cooker shredded beef by Ali over at the "gimme some oven" blog, so I decided to try it. (She adapted her recipe from Jen's over at My Kitchen Addiction.)

photo courtesy of Gimme Some Oven

It wasn't too complicated, but it was more than a "dump" recipe, where you put all the ingredients in the crockpot and turn it on. There was some prep work involved, from dicing onion and garlic and chopping chipotle peppers to searing the roast. Yesterday after church, I did the prep work and put everything in the crockpot so that it could cook all day. Last night, youngest daughter had club volleyball tryouts, and when Hubs got home he tried to eat it and loved the taste! (Oldest daughter has a basketball game tomorrow night, so we'll have shredded beef tacos Tuesday night. Yum!) 

While Hubs and youngest daughter were gone, I was able to pull together a fall mantel. 

Sorry for the terrible iPhone picture. Taken at night, no less. Sorry!

I'd really like to add a cute burlap pennant...

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Marian on Pinterest

My mercury glass candlesticks get used year-round with different colored candles. 

I like the mix of shiny and rustic.

I do love the "Family" frame and the picture of the girls. The picture is one of my favorites... it's one of a group that I took for Christmas cards. 

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the mantel. Seeing the pictures really really really makes me want to paint the walls a light gray!

What do you think?