Chloe Tuttle

Strawberry Bread Recipe Made with Fresh Strawberries

Chloe Tuttle — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:34 +0000

This easy Strawberry Bread recipe uses self-rising flour.

Strawberry bread is a springtime treat for folks in eastern North Carolina. You can make this bread any time of year, but it just seems so special when strawberries are in season, and and you can pick them yourself. It also is a great treat in the middle of winter when you are thinking about those warm spring days.

Fresh strawberries are the best

I was outside getting ready to take a picture of these berries when a rainstorm made me take cover in my Old Red Truck. While I waited out the storm, I took this photo – the lighting was perfect. It is one of my favorites. Local berries, of course.

Old red truck is gone, But fresh strawberries are still abundant in eastern North Carolina. I miss Old Red Truck.

My mother Chloe used self-rising flour, but I never did. Lately I have been experimenting with her recipes and some of my own and now I am a believer, especially if “quick” is in the cards.

Enjoy!

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-799-8787

Strawberry Bread

Picking strawberries is such fun I always end up with "too many." This bread is a great way to preserve that bounty.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword strawberry bread, strawberry bread recipe, strawberry quick bread

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

1 large egg
¼ cup corn or vegetable oil
¾ cups sugar
1/2 cup chopped & mashed strawberries (about 1/2 pound of berries) drain ALL the juice off
1 cup self-rising flour packed (see note for all-purpose flour) *
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two mini loaf pans with cooking spray with flour like Baker's Secret.
Wash and hull the berries. Chop and mash berries and strain off the excess juice. Measure out ½ cup.
Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add oil, sugar and mashed strawberries. In another mixing bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry mixture to the strawberry mixture and stir.
Pour into loaf pans, filling about 1/2 full. This is a moist bread and it will not cook through if you fill the pans too full.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned or until a straw inserted into the center comes out clean. Moist breads like this Strawberry Bread are difficult to know when they are done. The straw or small knife inserted into the bread is the best way to know. You can’t just go by the time.
Cool on wire racks for five minutes. Remove bread from pans and continue to cool until ready to slice. To store, wrap in clear wrap. This bread will keep fresh for several days.

Notes

* Note: if using all-purpose flour add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Nutrition

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay – Peaceful Lodging for Traveling Nurses & Professionals 252-799-8787

Settle into a quiet, fully furnished space at Big Mill Extended Stay in Eastern North Carolina. Our rentals are perfect for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests who need a comfortable home base during long assignments. Enjoy privacy, farm views, and the welcoming charm Big Mill is known for. Three RV rental spaces are also available for extended stays.

North Carolina Road Food – Mom and Pop Diners

Chloe Tuttle — Sat, 30 May 2026 19:30:46 +0000

Remember the Mom and Pop restaurants that were in every town?

Well, we still have ’em here in eastern North Carolina. A few have closed since I did this video but many are still here and they’re worth a trip. Take a ride with me to find the best local food east of Raleigh. I’m delighted to premiere this Big Mill B&B video:

We’ve featured the “must see” spots for off-the-beaten path diners and dives throughout Eastern NC. We begin in Williamston and end up in Morehead City, stopping in some little towns that don’t even have a stoplight. Buckle up!

One thing you should know – you’ll have to ask a local where these restaurants are and when they are open. These cafes can have some seemingly odd hours to outsiders – but it all makes sense to any North Carolinian. Sunnyside Oyster Bar is open only in months with an “r” in them; Cypress Grill is only open four months a year – when the herring are running. (Sadly, The Cypress Grill burned and it is no longer with us). Take notes and map your route to the best road food east of Raleigh, NC.

View Road Food in eastern North Carolina in a larger map

Sunnyside Oyster Bar in Williamston – 3 miles north of Big Mill B&B
Cypress Grill in Jamesville (closed, fire)
Bunn’s Barbecue in Windsor Closed, too many floods)
Bill’s Hot Dog Stand in Washington – 19 miles south of Big Mill B&B
Brenda’s Country Kitchen -(closed)
B’s Barbecue in Greenville – 29 miles west of Big Mill B&B
Skylight Inn in Ayden – 44 miles southwest of Big Mill B&B
Bum’s Barbecue in Ayden – 44 miles southwest of Big Mill B&B
Lovick’s Cafe in Kinston – 58 miles northwest of Big Mill B&B
El’s Drive-In in Morehead City – 88 miles southeast of Big Mill B&B
A new find: Ella’s Cafe, 17 miles north of Big Mill B&B

P.S. – Thanks to my nephew, Barney, for his amazing video editing and voice over narration skills. What a gem.

Big Mill Bed and Breakfast 252-792-8787

Black Bear Festival in Plymouth, NC

Chloe Tuttle — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:00:20 +0000

No matter what you think about bears, when someone says, “I saw a bear,” you listen. If you want to see a bear, then you must attend the Black Bear Festival in Plymouth, NC, June 5 & 6, 2026

Bears in North Carolina are usually black with a cinnamon color muzzle

Increasingly, we are seeing bears here in eastern North Carolina. They are mostly in the coastal regions – bears love our coastal Pocosin habitat.

In one of the articles I read, eastern North Carolina was said to have the highest Black Bear population of all the states. There are over 8,000 black bears in the Albemarle region, the largest concentration in North Carolina.

All 100 counties in North Carolina have reported black bear sightings. A 500-pound bear is not at all uncommon and bear biologist, Colleen Olfenbuttel, confirmed that they are seeing “an increased frequency of 700+ pound bears.” All 100 counties in North Carolina have reported black bear sightings.

Bears come in all sizes – remember Mama isn’t far away

When I was a child we had two gardens: one near the house and one early garden down near the woods. Every year, we saw bear tracks in the early garden. My mother told me that they were moving from the Pocosin (upland swamp) to another habitat. In the fall, the tracks went back the other way.

The small Inner Banks town of Plymouth, NC (located on the way to the Outer Banks) has a Black Bear Festival every June. In June the farmers harvest the winter wheat and the bears come out to forage. Bears also like acorns, frogs, fruit, fish, peanuts, seeds and even small mammals. I love that this bear is so trendy eating the dandelions!

This Black Bear is so trendy in his diet of dandelions

Have you seen a bear? If you want to see one, then be sure to pop in at the North Carolina Black Bear Festival in Plymouth, NC, June 5 & 6, 2026.

There will be skydiving bears, biplane rides, pontoon boat rides, Bandits flight formation team, classic air show and more.

Information for the festival tours can be found on the festival website.

The festival promises “relentless food” and great music – something for everyone. Don’t wait too late to book your place and pontoon rides and flight rides!

Hover over Photo to PIN FOR LATER

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

North Carolina Black Bear Festival
Plymouth, NC
June 5 & 6, 2026
Telephone: 252-799-9099
Washington County Travel & Tourism

DISTANCES:

20 miles east of BIG MILL B&B Extended Stay
124 miles east of Raleigh, NC
94 miles south of Norfolk, VA
48 miles east of Greenville, NC

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay
Williamston, NC 27892
Telephone: 252-799-8787

Berry Pickin’ Time – You Pick

Chloe Tuttle — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:30:28 +0000

Strawberry Picking Time

Strawberry picking is a spring tradition in eastern North Carolina. Guests at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay have several great options nearby. For pick-your-own strawberries, visit Griffin’s Farm Market on US 17 in Washington, NC – about 15 miles south of Big Mill – or SouthSide Farms in Chocowinity, roughly 25 miles away.

If you prefer fresh, already picked berries, Ross Farms, 1536 Garrett Road , Williamston, NC, is just 3 miles from Big Mill and offers beautiful, ready to enjoy strawberries.

Discover the best strawberry You-Pick experience while you are here. Pick, weigh, and take home gallons of ripe berries. Then the fun begins? Will it be Strawberry Jam or Strawberry Bread or maybe a great smoothie?

Every year, I try to make sure each of my guests gets a taste of fresh North Carolina strawberries – they’re one of the sweetest parts of spring here on the farm. Strawberry picking is a beloved spring tradition and I, as innkeeper, feel obliged to make sure everyone tastes fresh NC Strawberries.

Folks say berries from different fields have different flavors, and I believe them.

I love making strawberry jam for our Big Mill B&B guests. Don’t think I’m bragging, but my jam is an award-winning Strawberry Jam! It won best-of-show at our Farm Heritage Fair. And it surely does taste good.

When I was growing up, we would pick the berries, make jam and, on the very same night we ate homemade biscuits with jam and homemade butter. My biscuits aren’t nearly as good as my mother’s were, so I have to buy the frozen ones, but they’re still good.

Growing your own food and buying local is more than a trend in eastern North Carolina – it’s a way of life, and a good one. All around us you’ll find farmer’s markets, roadside vegetable stands, and local folks selling fresh produce straight from their fields. We even have vendors who sell collards right out of the back of a pickup truck. Supporting them keeps our community strong.

Plan to Visit:

Griffin Farms in Washington, NC 252-721-8277
Southside Farms in Chocowinity, NC 252-946-2487
or if you want the berries picked for you, then try Ross Farms in Williamston, NC 252-792-8829 or J&J Farms in Jamesville, NC 252-799-8110

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay – Peaceful Lodging for Traveling Nurses & Professionals 252-799-8787

Mouse Biscotti – It is April!

Chloe Tuttle — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:48 +0000

Winter had been cold here in eastern North Carolina and Moses, the farm kitty, was ready to sit on the back steps and socialize with the guests here at Big Mill Bed and Breakfast Extended Stay. Moses has passed, so sad, but now Raisin has taken the job.

While waiting for spring to arrive, I decided to write a cookbook –The Country Cats Cookbook in honor of my special kitties. What follows will be my signature recipe. Hope you like it … I do. APRIL FOOL!!!!

Moses was a Special Cat

Mouse Biscotti - April Fool Spoof

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Biscotti

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 55

Servings biscotti

Calories 95kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 egg yolks reserve egg whites in case the mixture is dry
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon MOUSE extract found in specialty stores like Balduchi’s gourmet foods or Zabar’s Epicurean Emporium in New York - well, not exactly!!!!!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease a heavy cookie sheet. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder in a medium size mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add flavorings: mouse extract.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just barely blended. You will have to use your hands and perhaps a wee bit of the egg yolk. Add more flour if the mixture is too sticky.
Using greased hands, form dough into three 4-inch by 9-inch (or thereabouts) rolls that are 2 inches thick. Gently place the “rolls” on the cookie sheet, making sure they are several inches apart. Place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until dough will hold together. Remove from oven and cool slightly. (Do not cool completely because you won’t be able to cut it.) When cooled slightly, gently slide the rolls to a floured cutting board. Gently cut through each roll at an angle into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Turn each piece on its side and place on the cookie sheet.
Bake again for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
If you prefer a harder biscotti turn onto the other side and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Notes

Biscotti will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Bon appetite!
Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay 252-799-8787

Well, it is April 1st and APRIL FOOL’S DAY!!!!

For us humans, just omit the Mouse extract. And, honestly, Moses really did like biscotti. She had one each night with her spot of cream just before bedtime.

Love Affair with PEEPS Recipe

Chloe Tuttle — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:00:58 +0000

Americans have a love affair with our marshmallow PEEPS

PEEPS come in all sizes but they taste the same as always

… and we eat more than our share – we will eat 600 million PEEPS this Easter. (I call them all PEEPS, even if they are bunnies.)

PEEPS marshmallow candy – those bright-colored chicks and bunnies that we see at Easter have a long history. In 1953, it took 27 hours to make one Peep. Now the factory in Bethlehem, PA makes a billion a year. The first PEEPS were squeezed out of a pasty tube and the eyes were painted on by hand. Each PEEP is a character – as they settle the nose and eyes rearrange and they get a personality.

The Washington Post has an annual PEEPS Diorama contest. One year they discontinued it but caught a lot of flack. Now the diorama back. I’m telling you, PEEPS’ mania is real, it’s fun and I am joining.

Some years ago, National Geographic did PEEPS in Places. There were PEEPS in Las Vegas, on the beach, in a subway, at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay.

Did you know that PEEPS go with fine wine?

Ever wonder what wine to serve with PEEPS? Someone has already done the wine pairing for PEEPS and the suggestions are Riesling or Chardonnay.

You can create your own Peeps character – pick a color, outfit, give him a name and POOF he will jump on Facebook if you want him too. I am telling you, folks really get in to their Peeps.

Can you believe folks cook with PEEPS? There are many PEEPS recipes out there, much to my surprise. So I tried one.

Peeps just make Rice Krispies treats better!

Rice Krispie Treats with PEEPS

Everyone loves Peeps - why not add them to the classic rice krispie?

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Peeps rice krispie treats, Peeps rice krispie treats recipe, rice krispie treats with Peeps

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Freeze 8

Total Time 20

Servings bars

Calories 191kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter
10 oz. pkg. Marshmallows about 40 or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
12 PEEPS
1 Tablespoon marshmallow cream for glue Optional

Instructions

Freeze PEEPS overnight.
Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan or dish and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter over low heat. In a small pan melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter (this is your glue) or you can use Marshmallow cream.
Add marshmallows to the large pan and stir until melted. Add Rice Krispies and stir until coated. Remove from heat. Using a greased spatula, press the marshmallow - Rice Krispie mixture into the greased pan. It is really sticky!
Press the frozen PEEPS on top, spacing each PEEP about 1 1/2" apart. Allow to cool and cut into 12 squares with PEEPS in the middle. Best served the same day.

Nutrition

I believe the old adage As American as Apple Pie, should be As American as Marshmallow PEEPS. A word to the wise: Don’t mess with PEEPS fans.

…from Innkeeper at Big Mill Bed and Breakfast Extended Stay 252-799-8787