I vaguely remember my mom making pumpkin seeds when I was little, but for all I know, she could have toasted these up every Halloween and it is just permanently filed away in the “do not disturb” part of my brain.
It seems like more and more memories are getting locked up there these days.
The verdict is in…I am getting old..-er.. I really just cannot bring myself to say “old” yet. Sorry.
So, back to the seeds, (see, really frightening proof of my getting old….-er is my tendency to go off on really strange tangents!). ANYWAYS-the seeds!
Okay, the seeds. So, after I had kids and we carved our obligatory pumpkins, well, I tried making toasted seeds.
Let’s just say I had less than stellar results.
So, fast forward about five years, when I was sitting at my friend Vickie’s house for some appetizers and drinks right around Halloween. She had this bowl of seeds sitting there, right in front of me. She kept pushing it towards me, telling me to try one, that they were really good.
Well, let’s just say, I was ignoring her for a bit, remembering my slightly overcooked, sorta chewy, flavorless, soon to be tossed in the garbage seeds I had made a few years back.
Well, Vickie is not one to let you off the hook.
I finally dipped my fingers in the bowl and tasted the seeds, the seeds that soon became known as little bits of Halloween Heaven.
Well...not really...but wouldn’t that be a good addition to this story if I did start to call them that?
So anyways, she was nice enough to share her recipe with me, which I proceeded to use all these years.
And then, wouldn’t you know, years later, in walks my other good friend Tara, (well to be honest, we were sitting in her kitchen) telling me how delicious the seeds her husband makes are. Well, of course I asked her to send me the recipe, and of course I had to try to make them.
OMG. (I really never say OMG either, but it seemed to fit. Giggles as I remember yesterday when my 5 year old kept saying GOM! She really just didn’t get it. )
So good.
So good.
It is really an almost similar recipe, and they are both equally good, but I am just giving you two ways to make your own….Halloween Heaven!
Or, er..whenever you want to eat them. Totally does not have to be Halloween.
Vickie’s Pumpkin Seeds
*recipe edited with some of my changes I have added in throughout the years while still being true to Vickie’s recipe!*
Clean seeds by rinsing them and getting all of the pumpkin pulp off. Let air dry for about an hour.
In a large fry pan, with about 1 tblsp butter per 3 cups, lightly saute seeds for 10 minutes
Add 1 tsp popcorn salt
Bake at 225 degrees for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes
Let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
(Vickie is a self described saltaholic and salts the seeds every time she opens the oven to stir. You can try it, but proceed with caution!)
Jon’s Pumpkin Seeds
Clean seeds
Soak overnight in Salt water solution (1 1/2 tsp per cup of water), use enough to cover all seeds
Drain excess salt water
In large fry pan with about 1tblsp butter fry seeds lightly for 5 min stirring constantly.
Add 1 tsp salt
Place on baking sheet spread evenly
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (mine took only 10 but my oven runs hot. Watch them carefully)
Salt if desired
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