Prepping everything from pumpkin pies to party platters.
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By Black Mage
#3785
One of my favorite things about carving lanterns, aside from the joy of just carving, is cooking the seeds that come with the pumpkin. Over the years I have tried numerous variations in seasoning, cooking method, time, and temperature. I have looked at a lot of recipes in order to get ideas. Here is what I have found I liked.

For one, I don't like to bake/roast the seeds for very long, or at a high temperature. Some recipes say to cook in the oven at 350°F for as much as 40 minutes (!). I find that though the seeds may taste okay (if you don't mind a very well done seed), they make your breath smell horrid. Plus I don't like my seeds burnt to charcoal.

For me, it's in the oven at 350°F, for between 10-15 minutes; just as they barely start to turn color, if not slightly before. I think this creates a more tender seed with more of the natural flavors intact.

Then there the matter of seasoning, as a pumpkin seed that is naked, is without much character. I like to take my seends (before roasting) and put them all in a bowl, melt 1/2 to 1 tbsp of butter, and stir it into the seeds then hit them with a generous pinch of salt (to start). I don't like to put any other seasonings on them just yet, as the spices would most definently burn. After roasting the seeds as previously stated, I remove them from the oven and find that they are always still just wet enough from the butter to hold on to seasonings. Here's some of my favorite combinations:

- salt and black or white pepper
- salt and cayenne pepper
- salt, chile powder, cumin, and cayenne (tastes like a bowl of chili)
- I've also used any number of premixed seasonings (McCormick and the like), although you often have to grind them into powder so it will all stick to the seeds.

Tonight I decided to experiment a bit. I took 1/8 cup sugar, plus 1 tsp. butter and combined them in a hot skillet and let the sugar melt, then added raw seeds in an attempt to make sugar glazed or candied pumpkin seeds. I think there's promise for the idea, but the method didn't work all that well. I seem to have ended up with a batch of still mostly raw, caramel coated seeds. :lol: So it needs work.

How about everyone else? How do you like to dress-up your pumpkin seeds?
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By Black Mage
#3844
Ooooo! Now that sounds more like what I was trying to accomplish.

Thanks Kerianne!
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By Aylortay
#3846
I don't really like them myself, but I made some last year (and of course now I can't find the recipe) that I'm pretty sure involved soy sauce and garlic powder... My friends raved.

Of course none of this helps without the recipe :lol:
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By Kerianne19
#3856
No problem Black Mage! I made a batch last week, and they were fantasic! Enjoy :)
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By Samhain
#3986
Kerianne19 wrote:I really like a good batch of sweet and spicy puumpkin seeds!
Thank's for the info on the seed's! I cut into my first punpkin today and was a- wonderin what I should do with the seed's I saved.

Im a little dissapointed at the small size of pumpkin's in the store this year... But, what can a guy do but wipe a tear from his eye , grab needed objects " carving tool's", " stencil's", and "BEER" and get to work at making respectable little monster's!

Anyone in Salt Lake City or the surrounding area know of a store or patch that has good sized pumpkin's?
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By Black Mage
#3987
Samhain wrote:
Kerianne19 wrote:I really like a good batch of sweet and spicy puumpkin seeds!
Anyone in Salt Lake City or the surrounding area know of a store or patch that has good sized pumpkin's?
Woo hoo! Three Utahns on the forum! Mayhaps our little backward state isn't quite as anti-Halloween as I had begun to fear.
User avatar
By Samhain
#3988
Black Mage wrote:
Samhain wrote:
Kerianne19 wrote:I really like a good batch of sweet and spicy puumpkin seeds!
Anyone in Salt Lake City or the surrounding area know of a store or patch that has good sized pumpkin's?
Woo hoo! Three Utahns on the forum! Mayhaps our little backward state isn't quite as anti-Halloween as I had begun to fear.
Fear not good friend! There be more of us here behind the ZION curtain who await patiently in their HUMBLE patches' on Halloween then you think...

I also see that you like Irish music. I Don't mind listening to Celtic music myself. Must be the Scot in me... -hehe- Try this page, they play great stuff!

http://www.celticradio.net



NOTE FROM THE POSTER: No offence to LDS person's living or DEAD intended.
User avatar
By Kerianne19
#3992
Well hello my fellow Utah friends! There are a few FANTASTIC patches up in Layton. They are just day farms, but they let you pick your own from the field if you like, which at times allows for you to find the REALLY good ones, or you can just choose from those they picked already... The best part about the day farms is that they are CHEAP! Both of the farms my family goes to are right off Gentile... If you want some specifics, let me know and I will hunt up an address for ya!

I was in the Sam's Club in Layton on Sunday, and they had some HUGE pupkins right as you walked in... They were asking $5 for them I think. If you picked around and found some really big ones, the $5 would be well worth it I think!

Nice to know I'm not alone when it comes to all things Halloween... I guess it makes me feel better that the mom's don't just look at me funny :)
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By amandap80
#4001
There is a recipe for Pumpkin Seed Brittle in the October Martha Stewart magazine. Looks delish!
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By Black Mage
#4029
amandap80 wrote:There is a recipe for Pumpkin Seed Brittle in the October Martha Stewart magazine. Looks delish!
Ooooo. Can you supply link-age?
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By amandap80
#4033
I tried to find it on the web site but didn't see it. I will dig it out when I get home and post it here...
only because I love y'all....
By Guest
#4037
Kerianne19 wrote:let me know and I will hunt up an address for ya!
Hello Kerianne! Ok, im askin... Will you dig up the address for me please?
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By Black Mage
#4041
I've never actually gone to a pretty pumpkin patch to pick and purchase a perfect pumpkin to pierce and prod(HA! How's that for alliteration? :lol: ), I may have to try that this year. Usually I've always gone to Sacco's Produce on Main St. in Roy, they usually have a good selection (plus their herb and spice prices are awesome).
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By amandap80
#4044
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking sheet
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds, rinsed well, dried and toasted

1. Butter an 11x17 inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
2. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and honey. Bring to boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is medium amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees, about 6 minutes. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break into pieces.