The Annual Pumpkin Farm Trip

Last weekend, Alex and I made our annual pilgrimage to the pumpkin farm.  This time we decided to return to the Homestead Farm for my FAVORITE trip of the year.  The drive was about an hour for us and we didn't intend on buying any pumpkins (we already cheaped out and bought the <$5 supermarket pumpkins) but there are a ton of fun things to do at this farm!

There are obviously a ton of pumpkins available for purchase... or photographing.  There is also a pick-your-own pumpkin field but I've found that those fields never really have anything good.  Or maybe I just get there too late.  The farm was decorated for the season and it was a beautiful day, so we were feeling pretty festive.

Homestead has a petting zoo so we spent some time checking out the animals.  They are constantly being fed by all the kids visiting the farm and yet they never seem to get full.  The goats formed a pile trying to get the food the kids were handing out and nearly stomped each other.  Crazy goats.

In the chicken coop was the fluffiest chicken I have ever seen!  If I ever happen to own some chickens, they will definitely be this breed.  My chickens won't have feathers, they will have fur.  The farm also had cute baby pigs and a turkey this year. Mmm, i'll be seeing you again in 1-2 months turkey.

Even though we didn't partake in the pumpkin picking, we did pick our own apples.  We missed the honeycrisp harvest but filled our basket up with plenty of pink ladies and some mystery apples that Alex had to climb a tree to pick from the very top.  I'm going to need to start researching some apple recipes after this.

Thanks for all the hard work Alex!

We ended the trip in the farmers market and invested in a few piles of vegetables.  The eggplant was so pretty that I really loaded up on them, including the weird orange ones.  The only problem is, I rarely cook eggplant and don't really know what to do with it.  What even are those orange ones? Time for more research!

I'm glad we were able to spend such a great afternoon at the farm!  I'm already looking forward to next years trip.

On an unrelated note, the leaves are starting to change in our backyard! Autumn is here!

Time for Pumpkin

...cookies that is!  I've been a little mentally off lately.  It happens.  And today was quite a day.  I've been meaning to make these cookies for a while and I think that is as good an excuse as any.  Plus I needed the smell of pumpkin in the house.  I found this recipe online last fall (not sure where) and since then they have been my favorite.

I have always loved fall and everything that comes with it.  I'm looking forward to hot apple cider, pumpkin patches, autumn fashions, jack-o-lantern carving, and a slight chill in the air.  And of course, the annual tradition of watching Hocus Pocus while handing out candy to all the neighborhood kids.

 I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
(Makes about 36 cookies, if you make them NORMAL sized)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canned (or fresh, recipe for that coming later) pumpkin
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (make your own! vodka+vanilla beans+time)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
pinch of nutmeg (buy it whole and grind it yourself, trust me)
1 tsp baking power
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use less, I'm not always big on the chocolate)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the pumpkin and beat until well combined.  Add the egg and beat until well combined.  Finally, add the vanilla and yeah, beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking power, baking soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, about 1/3 cup at a time, until fully combined  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
4.  Spoon batter onto cookies sheets that have been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Watch these cookies a little more than you might some other cookies, you do not want to overcook them.  They should be soft, not crunchy.  Let cool on baking sheet and then wire rack until done.

I suggest serving them refrigerated.  Delicious!