Vala's Pumpkin Patch

The pumpkin is one of the most versatile fruits I can think of.  No, the pumpkin is not just for carving.  Smaller pumpkins such as the pie pumpkin have a sweet tender meat that can yield its flavor to almost any dish, sweet or savory.  The pumpkin has been a staple food item in the Americas for thousands of years.  We can even thank the pumpkin for helping the Pilgrims survive cold, harsh winters, as its hard outer shell allows it to be preserved for many months.  Today we most often see the pumpkin whipped into a sweet pie, and we certainly do not depend on it for our survival.

But that does not mean we cannot cherish this wonderful ingredient most commonly found pureed in a can and sitting on our pantry shelf.  So as an ode to the precious pumpkin, I have made it my goal to find the perfect pumpkin bread recipe.  Of course, this task may prove to be impossible, as perfection is relative and everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes the pumpkin bread: a touch more cinnamon could be added; walnuts may be preferable to pecans; some like it plain while others love the bread speckled with raisins, chocolate chunks, cranberries, currants, or chopped dates.

I will give you one recipe I adapted from a 2003 issue of Bon Appétit Magazine.  This particular recipe has cranberries, walnuts, and orange zest, but feel free to alter the recipe to your own personal preferences.  This fall season, look for a variety of pumpkin breads in our Big Barn Bakery at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch!

Cranberry Orange Walnut Pumpkin Bread (or Muffins)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons orange zest

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, plus more for topping

raw sugar for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9 1/4×5 1/4×3-inch loaf pan or a muffin pan. Whisk flour, spices, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla and orange zest. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and orange juice in 2 additions each. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Transfer batter to pan. Sprinkle with additional walnuts and 1 tablespoon raw sugar, if using.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes.  Turn bread out onto rack.  Cool bread completely.

One of the best parts about summer is firing up the grill.  As soon as I feel the summer heat of Nebraska, I inevitably crave hamburgers, barbeque, grilled sweet corn, and of course, a hot dog.  When it comes to hot dogs, I get really excited about the sauces, garnishes, and other toppings to embellish this simple summer food.  You can put more on a hot dog than just mustard, ketchup and relish.  During the summer I constantly crave a Chicago-style hot dog that traditionally comes with a multitude of toppings, such as a dill pickle spear, celery salt, thick-sliced tomatoes, yellow mustard (no ketchup), chopped onions, and peppers all on a poppy seed bun.  Sometimes I get a hankering for a New York hot dog from a street vendor topped with the customary onion sauce.  One of my favorite hot dog establishments is Hillbilly Hot Dogs in West Virginia.  Click here to check out their amazing (and amazingly strange!) menu of hot dogs with an assortment of toppings you would never dream of.  Perhaps you will get some inspiration for your own hot dog creation.  At Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, we love hot dogs so much we are even having special hot dog events every Thursday in October!

As soon as I arrived home from college, I did my hot dog research in order to have a nice family dinner of hot dogs.  Whoever said hot dogs can’t be a gourmet meal? To me, a hot dog is like a blank canvas.  Once you start with a good-quality hot dog there is an endless possibility of toppings! On this particular night, I made an assortment of Wimmer’s Wiener’s and Omaha Steak hot dogs.  Both brands are extremely flavorful!  I decided to grill the hot dogs, since this gives them a crisp outer casing and a smoked flavor while the inside remains juicy.  My favorite hot dog brands include Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, Wimmer’s Wieners, and Omaha Steak hot dogs.  At Vala’s Pumpkin Patch we will be selling Nathan’s Famous hot dogs at our new food location, Cobs and Dogs, featuring corn on the cob and hot dogs with a toppings bar!

The toppings are where I was allowed to be creative.  I made quick homemade dill pickles ready to eat in just 30 minutes, homemade coleslaw, and homemade pimento cheese.  A homemade coleslaw can be whipped up in a jiffy.  Just mix a package of coleslaw mix (or you can grate your own cabbage and carrots) and mix with a chopped onion, ¾ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise, a splash of cider or white wine vinegar, and sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.  As the coleslaw mixture sits for a bit, the flavors will meld together.  Coleslaw makes a great topping for hot dogs especially with grilled hot peppers, as it will cool down the flavor of the peppers.  The pimento cheese is a recipe I adapted from Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon.  I mixed together ¾ lb good quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese, ¾ cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise, 2 tbsp diced roasted jalapeno, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp olive oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste.

I laid out the buffet of toppings, as my family sat to eat the grilled hot dogs.  Everyone’s hot dog was unique.  My perfect hot dog included celery salt, coleslaw, pimento cheese, and the homemade pickles.  It was an ideal combination, one that I had been craving ever since the weather warmed up.  The spicy pimento cheese was cooled down by the creamy coleslaw, and the pickles gave it a refreshing crunch.

What is your perfect hot dog?

Kirsten's Favorite Rhubarb Pie Recipe

Sure we grow pumpkins for a living, but one of the great things about living on a farm is having room to let your personal garden spread out a bit. Some years ago Dad cleared a little corner of land and Grandpa Ernie took it over, planting fruits and veggies galore. We look forward to picking what we need all year, but springtime is our favorite for one reason: Rhubarb! No garden of your own? No worries. Local farmers’ market finds will do. Check out my best rhubarb pie recipe, or browse through more great picks.

Ready for more pumpkin picking fun? Mark your calendars! It’s never too early to start planning your events and looking forward to the fall season. We’re taking reservations now: 402-332-4200.

Join us for our 2010 fall festival, from:
Saturday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, October 31, 2010

We are open every day:
9 am to 9 pm, Sunday through Wednesday
9 am to 10 pm, Thursday, Friday & Saturday