Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

By Kath Dedon

.

~

Hey, Ho, Halloween’s Here!

.

Every year I roast the seeds from our Halloween pumpkin. It’s so easy to do!

.

(print the recipe)

.

For 1½ cups of pumpkin seeds:

1. Rinse the seeds well and remove as much of the pulp as you can.

2. Put in a bowl, cover with water, and add about a teaspoon of salt. Let them soak for an hour or more. (You can cover them and refrigerate overnight, if you want.)

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with an oven rack positioned in the upper third of the oven.

4. Cover a four-sided baking sheet with foil.

5. Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil (you can also use other oils) in a large bowl in the microwave (about 15 seconds on High).

6. Drain the seeds and toss with the coconut oil. Spread them out on the baking sheet.

7. Roast for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted the way you like them.

8. Sprinkle with salt. Toss, and let them cool off.

~

I like just plain salt, but you can be creative with seasoned salt!

.

This year’s “Old Mr. Scarface” (carved by Bob with creative input from Nancy and me)

.

Pumpkins from a Halloween past:

Update, Halloween 2011

This year, from 3 big pumpkins, I had a lot more seeds to roast. I had 3 times as many seeds – about 4½ cups! I used the same method to roast them, but it took almost 40 minutes to get them toasted the way I like them.  So I guess a less crowded pan gets the job done more quickly.

a

Our 2011 pumpkins

a

Update, Halloween 2012

This year I added just a touch of chipotle powder to the pumpkin seeds before I roasted them. It was just enough to add a bit of interest, not heat.

A

Our 2012 pumpkin

a

a