Friday, October 23, 2009

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - Don't Forget The Cinnamon!

I mentioned in an earlier post, but I'll mention it again here, if you're going to roast pumpkin seeds, try getting your hands on a sugar pumpkin. It won't yield as many seeds as a Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin, but the sugar pumpkin seeds, with their softer, less woody shells, are so much better for eating.

Another little tip we picked up last year, and now plan on using every year, is don't forget the cinnamon and sugar.

Sweet and Savory Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

  • Cut the sugar pumpkin in half, and harvest the seeds.
  • Wash the seeds, pat them dry, and spread them out in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.
  • Sprinkle liberally with salt and cinnamon.
  • Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring often, for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Remove from oven, and transfer the seeds to a Ziploc bag, with one teaspoon of sugar.
  • Seal the bag, and shake to distribute the sugar over the seeds
  • Enjoy!

I was a little skeptical of this combination last year. I like savory salty pumpkin seeds, and I just really couldn't imagine cinnamon paired with salt. For some reason, maybe it was just curiosity, I went ahead and tried it, and we discovered that cinnamon does indeed go well with salt, in fact, it's delicious. And as for the sugar, while it adds a hint of sweetness, it doesn't overwhelm the saltiness.

The only drawback to this snack, is that it disappears too soon. But then, that's part of what makes it an extra special treat for fall.

It's great to be a homeschooler.

1 comment:

Marcee said...

we'll definately make some of those, as I have 13 sugar pumpkins left to process. we made the reg. roasted seeds, Roland and Sammy love them. Oh, we got UPS package from you guys today. Thanks. I'm sure Rod can't wait to try them out!