Queso Dip and Veggie Wraps

I love white Queso dip!  There's this little restaurant in Sheridan, Arkansas called Cotija Mexican Restaurant and they have the best Queso dip in there.  It's almost comparable to Don Juan's Mexican Restaurant in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but I prefer Cotija's because I get to go there with John when I am back in Arkansas.  We have this little back bench we sit at and it's very cozy.  Although, it is near the kitchen door where they cook and prepare everything, and I am always prone to look in there just to be nosy.  But it does have it's benefits, I always know when our order is coming out.  Ha!

The Queso dip they serve at both of these Mexican restaurants is almost impossible to duplicate and I have been on a hunt to find something similar for the longest time now.  I have experimented with different cheeses and different seasonings just to find that one-of-a-kind taste, only to come up short handed once again.  But I have found a nice, "tide me over" alternative to their delicious dip.

What's you'll need:

(This recipe was created when I was vegan for 6 years prior to dipping SLOWLY back into eating meats once again)

Make sure the cheese you pick is definitely Mozzarella cheese though, or it won't melt right and it will be a sticky mess later.  

Pair this dip with your favorite chips, or make your own!

You can pair this Queso dip with chips, bread, or even a veggie wrap.

All you need is, a flour or wheat tortilla, cream cheese, herbs and garlic goat cheese (you can get all of these ingredients organic too by the way), black olives, pickles, shredded cheese, and uncured ham.

Start by coating the tortilla with a generous amount of goat cheese and cream cheese. 

Add the black olives, shredded cheese, ham slices and pickles.

Roll up burrito style and tuck one end under to create a pocket to contain all of your goods.

There it is!

Veggie wrap!  You can dip this in the Queso or just eat it along side the Queso by itself.

Look how wonderful these cherry tomatoes look too!

Enjoy!

  

Eco-Tip:  Having beehives is a great way to live off your own land.  Consider keeping one hive before winter hits and see how well you do, then venture out to get more.  For tips on getting starting in the beekeeper business visit the National Honey Board website.  For more tips on living better and homesteading visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

    

Tin Can Speakers

Have you ever wished you had a set of speakers that were a bit louder than what you're used to, but also cool and handmade?  Well, tin can speakers are amazing and they are so easy to make too.  Here's how it's done:

Starting with two similar tins of the same style and size, you want to cut a small hole in the back of the tin.  A hole small enough to be covered later, but large enough to fit a wire through it.  I used a hammer and a nail and beat the nail through the metal from the inside out.

Take apart headphones (make sure they aren't ear buds).  I went to local shops and yard sales till I found the right ones.  You then want to dismantle them completely and set the pieces aside.  Be sure and save the foam padding too.

Line up your speakers on the back of two playing cards.  Trace the outline of the speaker with a pencil or marker and poke a few holes into the playing card where the speaker will be laying against the back of the card.

Glue the speakers to the back of the playing card where the holes match the sound output on the speakers, similar to the image above.  I used super glue just around the very edge of the speakers and allowed it to dry completely.

Once you glue is dry, thread the wire through the back of the tin where you made the hole.  If you have to you can make the hole a bit bigger to fit the equipment through completely then cover with electrical tape once everything is put back together.  

Place the foam padding into the tin first then follow with your speaker cards.  You may have to cut the card a bit on the edges to fit into the tin properly without looking too messy.  You may also need to add a bit of electrical tape around the hole of the tin in the back so it won't damage the cord as you use it.  

Once you tin speakers are all put together, you can plug them into your iPod, phone, or even your radio at home.  We like to take our camping with us and allow everyone around the hear the groovy tunes it lets out. Remember, you can use just about any tin you want from an Altoids container to a cookie tin too!

Eco-Tip:  Repurposing a candy tin into speakers is a great way to keep waste out of landfills, but you can also repurpose them into other things like, a sewing kit, tackle box, a little tin wallet, or even a first aid kit.  The possibilities are really endless with these little tins.  For more tips visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.