Pumpkin seed season

Every year, my little pumpkin and I pick out a pumpkin to transform into a jack-o-lantern. Then, we roast the seeds. I bet you do this too--or at least wish you did. So, I thought I'd post the recipe. I don't even remember where I got it, but it works.


1.Scoop out the seeds and pulp and place in a colander. (It takes longer than you think it should)
2.Under cold running water, remove the seeds from the pulp and strings. (this is a lot harder than it sounds. And messier too--that's why little Elle is in her daddy's shirt and the table is well covered.)
3.Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. ( I used a paper towel one year and it didn't work out very well.)
4.Preheat oven to 300. (no brainer)
5. Combine 1 Tablespoon oil or melted butter (I've done both and I can't decide which is better) WITH 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup of seeds (I don't use that much salt, but that's just me). If you want, add other stuff (we never do) like paprika or garlic or pepper.
6. Toss seeds with oil/salt mixture until well coated. ( I do this by hand in one of my nice glass mixing bowls and it's very therapeutic)
7. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet. (good luck with that)
8. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (again, easier said than done. They don't exaclty stir very well. We test a few until we have the desired crunchiness. Chris cools the tester seeds by tossing them from hand to hand. It hurts, but it works)
9. Let cool on paper towels. (we never do this step either,but just eat them right out of the cookie sheet)

Enjoy!
Happy October!