Pumpkin Seeds

[JCsMomma]

Every year I set out to make the yummy toasted pumpkin seeds that my grandma made... and every year I end up doing it wrong....
Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for pumpkin seeds?

[sproutgirl]

Well, I know this is too late for Thanksgiving, but I'll post it in case anyone wants it for next year.

I make these every year when I make my pumpkin pies. I think they taste great, as do my DH and DD. ;D

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt (I think this is too much. 1/2 teaspoon might be better)

Rinse teh pumpkin seeds until all the pulp and strings are washed off. In a medium bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, melted butter or margarine, and salt. Add the seeds and stir until they are coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 225 degrees for 1 to 2 hours, until crisp. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.

Yum!!

[Dandelion]

Are you useing seeds from the pumpkins? How do you shell the seeds/get them out?

[sproutgirl]

Yes, I use the seeds from the pumpkins. I cut the pumpkins in half, then scoop out the seeds and the stringy stuff with a big spoon. Then I separate the seeds out, and rinse them well in a colander, then I proceed with the rest of the recipe.

I use the small pie pumpkins, as I cook them and make pumpkin puree for my pumpkin pies. (yummy!)

But if all you want is the seeds, you could use pretty much any pumpkin. A bigger pumpkin would probably give you more seeds, and then you'd only have to use 1 or 2 pumpkins to get enough seeds. Growing up, my mom always did a jack-o-lantern at Halloween, and she would cook the pumpkin seeds that we removed from the pumpkin. (she used a recipe similar to the one I posted)

I usually do about 5 or 6 pie pumpkins (these are the smaller pumpkins. they are sweeter, which makes them better for things like pie) each year, which gives me about 4 cups of seeds (maybe a little more) and makes 5 or 6 pies.

HTH. If you have anymore questions, please feel free to ask. I've done the pumpkin thing a lot.

[Dandelion]

hmmm, our pumpkins' seeds have a thin woody shell around the kernel. Do yours not?

[sproutgirl]

Yes. I use the whole seed. It's not like a sunflower seed where you have to remove the "shell" to eat the kernel (or whatever it's called, LOL!). With pumpkin seeds, all you have to do is remove the stringy pumpkin pulp from the seeds, then use the whole seed.

Here is a photo of what they look like when they're toasted:
www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001438toasted_pumpkin_seeds.php

More photos:
www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=53&id=887

I believe pumpkin seeds are supposed to be very good for you. I would have to look it up, though, to tell you specifically what vitamins, etc., they contain.


Also, while searching for photos, I found this recipe from Whole Foods Market. Thought you might be interested.
www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/pumpkinseeds.html

I hope this helps!

[Dandelion]

Thanks! That does help! I look forward to trying it.

[lishac]

Another good tip...don't rinse the seeds and leave just a little stringy stuff on. I just put them on a baking pan with some butter and salt and bake them for a really long time...stirring them every once in a while