Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Around this time of year, you start seeing a lot of recipes around the internet for roasted pumpkin seeds. So you might be asking, what does Janet know about roasting pumpkin seeds, that we don't already know? WELL.... I have a secret! This is something that I rarely see anyone else suggest, and you are all missing out! BIG TIME.

You have to trust me on this one... have I ever steered you wrong before? (OK, don't answer that). Here is my big pumpkin seed secret.....

DO NOT wash the seeds! Most other recipes always say to wash the seeds, but if you do, you are just washing away all the good pumpkiny goodness. See the lovely brown crispy bits on my seeds? That is pumpkin pulp and it is delicious. It makes the seeds so good and flavourful. All I do is pick out the largest chunks of pulp by hand and leave the rest on the seeds.

I buy extra pumpkins right after halloween every year, when you can get them dirt cheap. Mostly for the seeds, but I also save a lot of the pumpkin flesh for pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup and pumpkin muffins. I'll be posting some of those recipes over the next week or so.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp margarine
1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Remove largest chunks of pulp from the pumpkin seeds but do not wash.

2. Toss the seeds with margarine and salt.

3. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 250F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Stir two or three times through out the roasting. Store at room temperature in a sealed container.