Tonight Tyler and Zachary carved their own pumpkins with no help at all...a sure sign they are getting older and more independent. Nate didn't partake in pumpkin carving because he went to a dance at Buffalo Seminary tonight with his friends...another sure sign your kids are getting older and more independent! Yikes middle school years...I could dedicate an entire blog just to that topic alone!
Onto pumpkin seeds, Tyler and Zachary's pumpkins were huge and loaded with pumpkins "guts" and seeds. Tyler and Zachary call the pumpkins innards slimy, slippery, mushy guts! Fitting description I say. While they were scooping out the pumpkin guts I made sure they separated the seeds and placed them in a bowl. Honestly, not a job I love but luckily they find it fun. After they separated the seeds, I rinsed them off in a colander and let the dry on paper towels. Making sure they are as dry as can be before baking will ensure crunchy pumpkin seeds. That's they key! Nothing's worse than eating pumpkin seeds that are chewy...try getting those out of your teeth...ewww!
I love making my pumpkin seeds with just olive oil, sea salt and pepper but you can be creative with your flavorings. Try adding garlic salt for a more savory taste, some cayenne pepper for some heat, some cinnamon sugar for sweetness or even cheddar cheese powder for an extra wow.
If you are carving your pumpkin make sure to save the seeds and roast them...it would be a shame to waste them. Make it part of your Halloween tradition like it is ours. They make a perfect snack and are much healthier than gorging on snickers bars and Reese's peanut butter cups....my Halloween vice for sure!
Salute to perfectly roasted sea salted pumpkin seeds on Halloween!
Sea Salted Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:
Ingredients:
• seeds from a pumpkin
• olive oil
• sea salt and pepper
• Feel free to add any flavoring... Be creative. Cayenne, cheddar powder, garlic powder, cinnamon sugar, lemon zest, etc.
Scrape seeds from pumpkin. Rinse seeds in a colander making sure they are clean and free from pumpkin fibers or guts as my boys say.
Dry seeds on paper towels. Get them as dry as you can. This will ensure crunchy seeds as opposed to chewy. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place seeds on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil to coat and add a generous seasoning of sea salt and pepper. Make sure the seeds are spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. This will ensure even baking of each seed.
Bake for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy! They keep well in plastic baggies in the refrigerator.
Food Impressions:
Salty, crunchy, addicting, crispy, golden brown, and ghostly delicious!
