I am right in the thick of my Halloween traditions. So busy! So much to do! So much fun to be had! At my house it's the smallest things that mean the most every year. Roasting pumpkin seeds is one of those things. Of course this starts with carving our famous giant pumpkins into giant jack-o-lanterns! We do this on the kitchen floor. I cover the area with large garbage bags which makes it easier to clean the mess up. Plus our pumpkins are so huge that you need to be able to get on top of them to really dig in!
A teenager with a huge butcher knife is always a scary thing!
Pulling the guts out! Eek! I don't like to touch this gooey stuff so my teens are up to their elbows in it!
After they have drawn out their unique creations on paper, they draw the face onto the pumpkins. I save their original paper drawings every year in a book. So fun to go back and see what they choose to create each year!
Now with a finer little carving knife (These tools can be found to purchase at most stores that carry Halloween things, or the pumpkin patch.) they begin to carve the pumpkins.
My daughter decided that her cut out mouth would make a great crown!
The finished giant jack-o-lanterns for Halloween 2010! Yes my son got sidetracked watching movies and said he will carve his tomorrow! Now to roast the pumpkin seeds! Yes you get two posts in one tonight!
Get someone that will touch the goo! Kids are good for this! Separate the insides of the pumpkin from the seeds.
You don't need to wash the seeds, just clean most of the goo off. Keeping a little bit of it on enhances the flavor, but too much will be too strong.
Recipe for Wendy's Perfect Pumpkin Seeds -
(There are healthier ways to roast them but we go for full flavor at our house!)
1. Clean pumpkin seeds and spread a thin layer on cookie sheet.
2. Drizzle about 3 Tablespoons of butter over seeds.
3. Sprinkle with garlic salt!
4. Toss around on sheet and spread again.
5. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Enjoy! You are in for a treat! Your house will smell wonderful and everyone will be having fun! Start a new tradition this year! It's easy! So tell me, what do you do with your Pumpkin Seeds?
Ohhh how I would have loved to witness the cutting and carving....seems like a fun tradition!! Like butchering and slaying someone scalp!! The pics are great to watch. Hope yours son didn't get sidetracked again and finished his pumpkin. If only I could smell AND taste these pumpkinseeds. From what I can see on the pics I'm eager to try them. mmmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteLOVE how your pumpkins turned out! And THANKS for showing us how you do your pumpkin seeds! I was hoping you would! Everyone has their own way of doing it - it's always interesting to hear. Yours sound YUMMY!!!
ReplyDelete