Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Last weekend was our family's yearly pilgrimage to the Pumpkin Farm, (of which there are many in this area, pumpkins being a popular local crop), and we came away with several HUGE beasts for our jack-o-lantern carving enjoyment.

Upon returning home, we immediately set up a pumpkin-cleaning-seed-retrieval station on the backyard picnic table and ended up with several cups of beautiful seeds to roast for our most favorite and anticipated snack EVER!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds!!

I was posting about it later that evening on Facebook and was surprised when several people mentioned they'd never made or experienced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

If this is a new idea, you simply MUST try it, whether it's seeds from a squash you're baking, a pumpkin you're roasting for pies, or your kids' jack-o' lantern project - all of these seeds work!

These are not the bland, unsalted, unroasted, green (shelled) pumpkin seeds (pepitas) you see in the store; Homemade roasted seeds are the whole, white, in-the-shell pumpkin seed, roasted until crispy and toasty-browned, sprinkled with salt and eaten just like that, no cracking, no shelling needed. And they are OH-SO-VERY good.

So..... if you haven't had the pleasure, or even if you have, here's our VERY simple recipe.
Enjoy.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Spread seeds on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil. With your hands, mix seeds until all have oil on them. Spread evenly on sheet in a single layer.

Check seeds EVERY TEN MINUTES to make sure they're not over-browning, and stir on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 45 - 55 minutes total, checking frequently towards the end, until seeds are toasty and medium brown in spots.
(Taste a few, they should be crisp on the outside, but still just slightly soft and nutty inside).

Remove from oven when browned to your preference, sprinkle with salt to your taste (other seasonings are good here too - curry, cinnamon sugar, cayenne, lemon-pepper, etc..).
Enjoy warm or cooled.

Have a GREAT, and very "PUMPKIN-Y" Weekend!!