Best Bone Broth Beef Vegetable Soup

Who says Bone Broth has to be boring? This Beef Vegetable Soup made with bones is the best I have ever tasted. The secret – BONES.

Beef Vegetable Soup photo from Chloes Blog

This soup uses bone-in chuck roast and oxtails. Another secret ingredient is lard.  Our grandmothers were right – lard is great.

Click to get Chloe’s Bone Broth Beef Vegetabl Soup Recipe

Pozole – Mexican Hominy Soup Recipe – Gringo Version

I just love this Pozole Recipe. Pozole is a Mexican Soup that is usually made with pork; this recipe is made with chicken. It can be made in a crock pot if you’d prefer.

Pozole – Mexican Hominy Soup - a Gringo Version

I just love this Pozole Recipe. Pozole is a Mexican Soup that is usually made with pork; this recipe is made with chicken. It can be made in a crock pot if you’d prefer.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mexican hominy soup, pozole recipe
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 326kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled & crushed
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 28 oz chopped tomatoes 1 large can
  • 10 oz red enchilada sauce
  • 46.5 oz hominy, drained 3 cans
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 20 oz white meat chicken breast, drained and broken up 2 cans or use leftover chicken

Instructions

  • Sauté onion in olive oil in a large pot until onion is translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a couple minutes more.
  • Add chicken broth, chopped tomatoes with their juice, enchilada sauce, drained hominy, salt, and pepper. Simmer until hot.
  • Add chicken and cook at least 30 minutes. It is fine to simmer on the stove or in the crock pot for longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 19.2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Pozole Hominy Soup photo from Big Mill B&B

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Gene Eastham shared this recipe with me after he cooked it for me!

click to learn all about HOMINY

Try This Hot Pepper Vinegar Recipe

These tiny bottles of Peppers and Vinegar are a must-have for any southern cooks to serve with greens like collards. They also make great gifts.

Hot Pepper Vinegar

Hot pepper vinegar is a great condiment, and if you make it in small jars it makes for a great gift.
Prep Time15 minutes
Rest7 days
Total Time7 days 15 minutes
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hot pepper vinegar, hot pepper vinegar recipe, how to make hot pepper vinegar
Servings: 8 small jars of Pepper Vinegar
Calories: 65kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of small hot red peppers the peppers must fit into the mouths of the jars
  • 1/2 gallon distilled white 5% vinegar

Instructions

  • The small individual 875 ml wine bottles are great for making this pepper vinegar; you can also buy pretty decorative bottles. Be sure to use only clear glass jars. Wash jars and remove labels if there are any. Basically, any jar will work – some folks use Mason jars. I like to use small jars so that I have more bottles of pepper vinegar to give away.
  • Trim any long stems on the peppers. Pack as many peppers as you can get into the jars. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon or a chopstick to stuff the peppers in the jar, being careful not to damage the peppers. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves.
  • Using a funnel, fill each jar with the distilled vinegar, covering the peppers. Set on a shelf and in a few weeks you will have glorious hot pepper vinegar. You can refill the jars several times.

Notes

This does not need to be refrigerated.

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 81.5mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Click to learn more about Chloe’s Hot Pepper Vinegar Recipe

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Biscotti is perfect for those who don’t want a super sweet confection. I like to bundle up a few Biscotti, tie them up with a festive ribbon, and take as a house gift or as my donation to the the Christmas party.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

The biscotti will keep for several weeks if stored in an airtight container.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry almond biscotti, cranberry almond biscotti recipe
Servings: 36 Biscotti
Calories: 95kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 2½- cups all-purpose flour
  • 1¼- cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 large eggs if mixture is too dry you may need to add another egg
  • 2 large egg yolks reserve the egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
  • 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
  • cup slivered almonds reserve ¼ cup
  • Zest of one lemon or lime
  • 1/2 cup sweetened, dried cranberries like Craisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease a large, heavy cookie sheet.
  • Mix flour, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. In another large bowl mix eggs and egg yolks together. Add vanilla, almond flavoring, 1 ¼ cup of the nuts, cranberries, and the zest to the eggs.
  • Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just barely blended. You will have to use your hands and perhaps add another egg or you can use some of the reserved egg whites if the mixture is too sticky to form.
  • Using greased hands, form dough into three 4-inch by 9-inch (or thereabouts) rolls that are 2 inches thick. Mixture will be sticky and you will have to use your hands. Using a greased spatula, gently place the “rolls” on greased cookie sheet, making sure the rolls are several inches apart.
  • Press reserved almonds on top of the shaped dough.
  • Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until the dough will hold together. Remove from oven and cool slightly. (You must not cool the biscotti too much because they will get too hard to cut). When cooled slightly, gently slide the rolls to a floured cutting board and gently cut through each roll at an angle into 1½- inch pieces. Turn each piece on its side and place on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake again for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each piece onto another side. If you prefer harder biscotti, turn biscotti and bake for 5-10 more minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Click to read Chloe’s clever serving suggestions…

Cranberry Salad Recipe Spreads Holiday Cheer

Cranberries – no food says Christmas holiday recipe quite like a cranberry. This Cranberry Salad Recipe is one of my favorites.

Cranberry Salad

Cranberries – no food says Christmas holiday recipe quite like a cranberry. This Cranberry Salad Recipe is one of my favorites.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry salad, cranberry salad recipe
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 1 orange washed
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 12- ounce bag cranberries washed and picked over
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1 teaspoon key lime juice or lemon juice
  • 3 packages unflavored gelatin 3 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Remove stems from orange and cut orange into pieces, leaving peel on. Put orange pieces in a blender with the orange juice and pulverize.
  • Add cranberries and sugar. Pulse to mix, but do not completely pulverize. (This part of the salad can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator).
  • Add celery and nuts and lemon juice. Blend again.
  • Soften gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Add 1/2 cup boiling water. Add to cranberry mixture.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 18.1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Click to see Chloe’s insights into this old family recipe.

Boiled Green Peanuts – Southern Style

Young, just-dug peanuts are called green peanuts. Here in the South, we boil these peanuts in the shell with a lot of salt.  In late August or early September, you can find these green or boiled peanuts at farm stands and some grocery stores like Piggly Wiggly. As the Georgia bumper sticker says, “It is time to Brake for Boiled Peanuts.”

Boiled Green Peanut Recipe – Southern Style

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: boiled green peanut recipe, boiled peanut recipe, boiled peanuts
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 431kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds raw green peanuts in the shell (this is about 12 cups peanuts with shells) The peanuts are not green, just raw
  • 1/2-1 cup salt
  • 3-4 quarts water or enough to cover the peanuts - add more water as they cook

Instructions

  • "Green" peanuts are not green; they are just young, raw peanuts. These peanuts are usually dug by hand several weeks before the farmer moves through the field with the machines that dig the peanuts. Here in eastern North Carolina, these green peanuts are ready late August or early September.
  • Wash the peanuts, still in the shells, several times until the water has no grit in it. Pick over and remove any bad peanuts and discard.
  • Put the peanuts still in shells into a large cooking pot. Cover with water at least 2 inches above the peanuts. Add the salt and stir.
  • Bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil slowly for 1-3 hours, depending on how mature or old the peanuts are. If the nuts are really young and pink, it will only take about 1 hour of cooking. If they are older, it can take up to 3 hours. You might also have to add water to keep the water level above the peanuts. Keep cooking until the peanuts are soft inside. Cooking time varies according to how old the peanuts are.
  • After they are done, they will continue absorbing the salt. If the salt taste is like you want it, then remove the peanuts from the salty water. They will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
  • Refrigerate or freeze after cooking.
  • It is much easier if you eat the peanuts outside. You can just spit out the shells.

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 4744mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 7g | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg

Click to learn more about Boiled Peanuts

Summer Watermelon Salad Recipe

Calling all watermelon lovers!! This Watermelon Salad is a beauty. I adapted this recipe from one in the June, 2017 issue of “Our State Magazine,” the same magazine that did a wonderful story about Big Mill in their August issue.

Summer Watermelon Salad

Gorgeous Watermelon Salad is perfect summer days.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 6 cups seedless watermelon cut into cubes
  • 1 sweet yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • 1 sweet onion like Vidalia or 1 red onion cut into very thin rings
  • 4 ounces of Feta Cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
  • Juice of 1 lime about 3 Tablespoons
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • This is a “make now and eat now” salad. If you dress it, you eat it. You can cut the parts of the salad early, but do not amalgamate it until you are ready to eat it.

  • Cut the watermelon into large chunks and lay it out on a plate lined with paper towels to remove some of the excess water. I do that when I am making watermelon skewers for my B&B guests. It keeps the watermelon from weeping into the dish.

  • Cut watermelon again into cubes about 1½" large. Put cubes of watermelon, pepper strips and onion rings into each salad bowl. Add crumbled cheese. For each salad, cut 1 basil leaf and 1 mint leaf into very thin strips and place on top of each salad.

  • Wisk together the lime juice, honey, salt and pepper.

  • Garnish with an edible flower like a begonia or nasturtium. Dress salad just before serving.

  • Instead of individual salads you can make one large salad if you prefer. Also do not dress this until just before serving.

  • This salad recipe is adapted from a Watermelon Salad in "Our State" magazine.

Notes

This salad needs to be made just before serving.

In eastern North Carolina, we do many things with watermelon. We also are very picky about where we buy our watermelons. Folks around here swear by Rocky Hock watermelons and cantaloupes. Rocky Hock is a small, rural area of the Chowan River – folks say the sandy soil is the reason these melons are so good.

Click here to read more …

I’ve Written a Cookbook!

I have always wanted to write a cookbook that told the stories behind the recipes.

Innkeeper at Big Mill BB Chloe Tuttle has new cookbook of Southern Recipes

Sign up to get the free cookbook with your email address below

One time, I took a month off and house-sat for my friends in the Florida Keys. Well, as usual, I was sidetracked with the beauty of the area. I would make a recipe and spend all my time taking photos of the food. I do love to photograph food – it doesn’t whine or wiggle or complain that the picture makes it look fat.

Friend Jody has helped me FINALLY produce a wee digital cookbook that features some of my favorite Southern recipes; we call it Chloe Ann’s Farm Life Recipes. My folks grew up in an area very close to Big Mill B&B called Farm Life, so that seemed like a lovely homage.

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While we were pulling this book together I was happy that I took the pictures. I’m guessing all these recipes will hold memories for those of us who grew up in the South.

I hope you enjoy it and I promise there are more to come.

Chloe Tuttle Big Mill Bed and Breakfast near Greenville NC

 

 

Luscious Candied Figs Are the Food of Kings

One of the great things about late summer is that we have luscious figs. And when they ripen, they all ripen.



Luscious Candied Figs are Fit for a King

One of the great things about late summer is that we have luscious figs. And when they ripen, they all ripen. Candy some of them to preserve them.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Rest6 days
Total Time6 days 2 hours
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: candied fig recipe, candied figs
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar + optional 4-5 Tablespoons
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ gallon ripe figs-small figs like Brown Turkey work best. Use figs that have stems

Instructions

Day 1:

  • Add the sugar and water to a large cooking pot. Boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Wash figs, do not remove stems.
  • Add the figs to the sugar syrup – figs will not be totally covered. Bring to a slow boil and boil gently for 45 minutes. Don’t worry about stirring the figs. They will release more juice and then there will be more liquid. They are so fragile it is best not to stir them now, but do keep an eye on them. After 45 minutes remove pot from heat and set aside. Cover pot.
  • If you feel you must stir the pot, use a wide spatula and gently lift the figs. Remember they are fragile.

Day 2 & 3:

  • Boil gently until sugar is almost gone, checking often. For me this took several hours so I set the temperature on low.
  • Gently remove the figs from the pot and place them on the cooling rack set on a large cookie sheet with sides. The figs will drip.
  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Turn off oven. Place the cooling rack and cookie sheet with the figs in the warm oven. Leave figs for several days to dry. You can keep heating oven again to 200 degrees if needed. I did not dry my figs totally. They are so tough if you do that. I think I like them half dry.
  • Optional: When figs are dry enough for you, sprinkle them with the extra granulated sugar. They are already sweet but this keeps them from sticking together so much. Store figs in refrigerator in an air-tight container or zip lock bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Click to read ways to use Figs

Pesto Genovese Recipe from Innkeeper at Big Mill B&B

Every summer I grow Basil and it thrives here in eastern North Carolina.What can you do with all this basil? Well, I make Pesto and freeze it to enjoy all year.

Basil is easy to grow and fresh Basil is perfect for making Pesto Genovese | https://chloesblog.bigmill.com/pesto-genovese-recipe-innkeeper-eastern-NC

Fresh Basil from Chloe’s Cook’s Garden

Pesto will keep a long time in the freezer. It can be frozen in ice cube trays — handy if you only need a small amount of pesto.

Basil is also easily rooted if you want to try to keep a pot inside over the winter. I just put a stem in a glass of water, then plant in soil once it shows roots. Click to get Chloe’s Pesto Genovese Recipe