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HALLOWEEN TREAT RECIPES
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS
Nothing tastes better than fresh roasted
pumpkin seeds! Why throw them away when in just a few
minutes you can have them baking in the oven, scenting your home with the wonderful smell
of autumn!
Preparation:
 Find a nice pumpkin,
we like to take a trip to a local pumpkin farm and hand picked
our own pumpkins for carving. This way you can cut them off
the vine yourself and you know that they are fresh. Picking
them up at a grocery store or pumpkin lot is fine, too, but
you have no idea how long ago they were cut. Fresh is always best! Now,
cut the top open and gut that pumpkin!
To roast your pumpkin seeds,
you can wash them if you like. We usually don't because washing removes all the natural flavor. Instead,
we remove the seeds from the
strings and leave the goo on them. Either way, place a single layer on a cookie sheet. Try and make an even layer, the less
they lay on each other, the better they can bake.
Sprinkle with salt to taste and bake at 250° until dry, stirring occasionally.
We bake ours for about 15 to 30 minutes or until the start to turn a very light gold.
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds:
You can also spice them up by mixing 5 tablespoons sugar
,1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, a pinch of cayenne pepper or to taste
if you'd like more spice, and 1 1/2
tablespoons peanut oil. Prepare seeds as above, washed, but line the cookie sheet with parchment
paper. In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt, cumin, cinnamon,
ginger, and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick
skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds (after baking) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook
until sugar melts and the pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds.
Transfer to bowl with spices and stir well to coat. Let cool.
STORAGE & SERVING
We
love to set bowls
of these around for parties and they never last long but you can store them in an airtight
container for up to 1 week. |
