Happy Halloween! (pumpkin seeds done better)
I really, really dislike the pumpkin seeds that are baked in butter/oil because the inside seed turns into basically air, and I just don't like the flavor... SOOO here is how I do it!
Step 1: Open up your pumpkin!
A helpful tip when carving your pumpkin is to cut your entry hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, instead of the top. You then create a platform for your candle.. so you can light the candle and set the pumpkin ON it, instead of putting the light in the pumpkin.
Step 2: Pull out the guts. I like to separate the seeds as I gut it, but you might prefer what my boyfriend prefers which is to gut the entire pumpkin, and THEN separate after its all out. Either works.
Step 3: After you have the seeds for the most part separated, dump them in a colander and rinse them off. The little strings of guts that you might have missed sink and the seeds float... Stop the water and let them drain a bit.
Spread out some paper towels (for 2 pumpkins i used 6 towels, 3 wide, 2 deep)
Evenly spread the seeds over the paper towels to take off even more excess water.
Step 4: Start preheating your oven to 250 degrees. Spread your pumpkin seeds evenly over a baking sheet (they will still be slimy/slippery, and that's okay!). Salt to taste (or not)
Step 5: Once the oven is preheated, put the baking sheet in the oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes, and go find something to do for a bit! We carved our pumpkin faces while the seeds baked.
Step 6: After 20 minutes, you need to turn the seeds with a spatula. You don't need to make sure every last one has been flipped, just turn them, move them around, etc. Repeat the 20 minute baking/flipping 2 more times.. for a total of 1 hour baking time.
Step 7: After the 3rd set of 20 minutes (so after an hour) let the seeds cool down on the counter. Once they are cool enough for storing (or eating) do so!
Step 1: Open up your pumpkin!
A helpful tip when carving your pumpkin is to cut your entry hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, instead of the top. You then create a platform for your candle.. so you can light the candle and set the pumpkin ON it, instead of putting the light in the pumpkin.
Step 2: Pull out the guts. I like to separate the seeds as I gut it, but you might prefer what my boyfriend prefers which is to gut the entire pumpkin, and THEN separate after its all out. Either works.
Step 3: After you have the seeds for the most part separated, dump them in a colander and rinse them off. The little strings of guts that you might have missed sink and the seeds float... Stop the water and let them drain a bit.
Spread out some paper towels (for 2 pumpkins i used 6 towels, 3 wide, 2 deep)
Evenly spread the seeds over the paper towels to take off even more excess water.
Step 4: Start preheating your oven to 250 degrees. Spread your pumpkin seeds evenly over a baking sheet (they will still be slimy/slippery, and that's okay!). Salt to taste (or not)
Step 5: Once the oven is preheated, put the baking sheet in the oven. Set the timer for 20 minutes, and go find something to do for a bit! We carved our pumpkin faces while the seeds baked.
Step 6: After 20 minutes, you need to turn the seeds with a spatula. You don't need to make sure every last one has been flipped, just turn them, move them around, etc. Repeat the 20 minute baking/flipping 2 more times.. for a total of 1 hour baking time.
Step 7: After the 3rd set of 20 minutes (so after an hour) let the seeds cool down on the counter. Once they are cool enough for storing (or eating) do so!