Roast Your Own Pumpkin Seeds

Since it's October, it's practically a pumpkin-fest everywhere you turn. So naturally, I've been craving pumpkin seeds. I have always bought packaged ones. I have always thrown away the pulpy stuff from inside my pumpkins. I'll bet you can figure out where I'm going here. Yup, I finally decided to roast my own since I had some pumpkins laying around. I don't know how much of a decision it was, considering this is no-grocery-shopping month, and it was this or nothing, so I decided to go for it.

It was... interesting. The hardest part is digging through the pumpkin guts (ew!) and harvesting all of the yummy (but slimy) seeds. All in all, not bad. They are definitely different from the ones you buy in bags, but I'm learning that's not always a bad thing.

Roast Your Own Pumpkin Seeds

What I use:

• 3 c. fresh, raw pumpkin seeds (rinsed - no guts please!)
• 12 c. water
• 1/3 c. salt
• Olive oil cooking spray

How I do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a large pot, bring the pumpkin seeds, water, and salt to a boil.

3. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain well.

4. Spray a large cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

5. Spread the seeds out onto the cookie sheet in an even layer and spray with a little more olive oil cooking spray.

6. Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, or until dry and golden.

7. Cool and eat.

You can eat the shell as well as the seeds, but I prefer just the seeds.