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You've crafted the perfect jack-o'-lantern. But what to do with all the glop you scraped out?
Don't toss it. Pumpkin seeds are a great healthy snack.
"I look at pumpkin seeds like popcorn. They can be spiced and seasoned so many different ways," says Lucinda Scala Quinn, executive editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.
Traditionally, you separate the seeds from the fibrous strands and clean them with water before roasting. One way is to scoop the whole mess into a colander and run it under cool water. The seeds and fibers will separate if you swish them with your hands.
To toast the seeds, arrange them in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. If not perfectly golden, leave them in the oven and check every minute.
Quinn prefers a simpler method. Rather than wash the fibers off the seeds, she toasts everything.
"I throw the whole mess in the oven and once they are dried out, it separates very easily," she says. If you go that route, spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees until the fibers dry and fall away from the seeds.
Once clean, transfer the seeds to a bowl, toss with olive oil, peanut or saffron oil, then add spices. Quinn suggests:
Olive oil and salt.
Grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt.
Cayenne pepper, lime juice, brown sugar and salt.
If you clean and season your seeds before roasting, don't use sugar as a seasoning. The sugar will burn. Instead, add it to the hot seeds after roasting.
