Thread: Halloween special -baked pumpkin seeds

Halloween is right around the corner and what better way to utilize all those pumpkin seeds leftover from carving Jack-o-lanterns with the kids then to bake pumpkin seeds....


Make a batch that's far tastier than any of the stuff out of the bag
By Paul Kita, Posted Date: October 2, 2012






Theres something deeply satisfying about snacking on seeds. Maybe its the nostalgia it carries, conjuring memories of little league dugouts or watching the pros play on the big diamond. Maybe its their crunch, acquired by means that involve far less guilt than plowing through a bag-o-chips. Maybe its their faintly nutty flavor that buddy-buddies so well with salt. Whatever the case, roasted seeds especially roasted pumpkin seeds this time of year—may just be one mans greatest snacks.


Yet, give a great thing to food marketers and they'll likely screw it up.


Browsing the seeds section of the local supermarket, I found several overpriced varieties of pumpkin seeds that were heavy-handed on seasoning. Raw pumpkin seeds weren't priced much cheaper either, even considering that a person could go out and harvest their own pumpkin this time of year and have more seeds than they can handle. Which is exactly what I did.


If your kids are carving jack-o-lanterns this year, don't junk the seeds. Scoop them into a separate bowl, separating as much of the pumpkin gunk from the seeds as possible. Then, give the seeds a good rinse and pat them down with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.


Preheat your oven to 375°F and season your seeds. Always toss the seeds with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and then build out your flavors from there. The salt and pepper provide a good flavor foundation and the olive oil prevents the seeds from burning in the oven. I made three varieties, one with smoked paprika, another with chopped fresh herbs (rosemary and parsley), and one with Sriracha. Other ideas: barbecue sauce, chili powder, teriyaki sauce, curry powder, zaâ'atarâ.your pantry is the limit, really.


Place the seasoned seeds on a baking sheet and roast until they're golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the seeds from the oven, allow them to cool slightly, and then snack away, preferably with some pumpkin beer.