cooking ala mel

healthy recipes and the occasional craft

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Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Because I obviously can’t get enough of easy slow cooker Mexican-style meals at the moment, I’ve got another melt-in-your-mouth tender recipe for you today:  beef barbacoa.  Throw a few things into your slow cooker, and hours later you’ve got the most flavorful, juicy beef for tacos, burrito bowls, burritos, nachos, etc!

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa | cookingalamel.com

After Chipotle stopped carrying their carnitas, I quickly switched to the barbacoa, and it has since become my new favorite.  After making my own carnitas at home, I figured barbacoa couldn’t be much harder, so I immediately set out to do it once I found a good price on a chuck roast.  Boy, is beef way more expensive than pork!  But it is still cheaper than buying Chipotle.  🙂 [Read more…]

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Alex’s birthday meal request this year was linguine with clam sauce.  Anytime we go out, if it’s on the menu, he usually ends up getting it.  I made it for him one other time, but it’s been a couple years.  The main reason I don’t make it that often is because I actually don’t like clams… that’s what happens when you have to learn their entire anatomy in your bio lab, haha.  I made myself some simple pasta with marinara sauce while Alex got his linguine with clam sauce and garlic bread to go along with it.

Linguine with Clam Sauce | cookingalamel.com

This dish is so, so easy, and full of flavor.  All you need is garlic, a little bit of dry white wine, reserved juice from the clams, a few cans of clams, salt, pepper, and some parmesan cheese.  It comes together in a snap, and it’s always a hit with Alex, even though I don’t partake.  😉 [Read more…]

DIY Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

Today, I’ve got a fun little craft for you to spruce up your bathroom or kitchen – mason jar soap dispensers!  You can make these for your dish soap, hand soap, shampoo, lotion… the possibilities are endless!  You can also paint each mason jar to match your decor so you can use whatever scent of soap you like without it clashing!  😉

DIY Mason Jar Soap Dispenser | cookingalamel.com

To start, I made a foaming dispenser for each of our bathrooms, and then two regular pumps for dish soap and hand soap in the kitchen.  I made an extra lid with a foaming pump for when I switch to foaming hand soap in the kitchen! [Read more…]