Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumkin Seeds

Pumpkins are a versatile gourd, transitioning from front porch decoration to pie filling or muffins in a single season. School-aged children all across America will scour pumpkin patches this fall for a prized pumpkin to carry home to carve.

Carving pumpkins is a long-standing tradition, as is roasting the seeds. Kids, both young and old, will like this roasted pumpkin seed recipe so much it will quickly become a family tradition. Serve as an after school snack or pack in a lunchbox for a sweet treat.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons butter -- melted
2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 pinch salt

1. Heat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Clean seeds: rinse seeds under cold water, using your hands to rub the seeds and remove all the pulp and strings. Don't worry about any small pieces of pulp that remain; it will come off in the roasting process.

3. Dry seeds thoroughly by placing cleaned seeds on a clean, dry towel. Rub the seeds lightly in the towel to remove moisture.

4. Toss seeds in melted butter to coat. Combine sugar, spice and salt in a small bowl and then add the seeds; toss to coat well. Place on lined baking sheet and roast 15 to 20 min, or until browned. Watch closely to be sure the seeds do not burn.

Note: Drying the seeds on a towel overnight will reduce the roasting time. For a saltier flavor, boil the seeds for ten minutes in salted water (1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of water) or let them sit overnight in salted water before roasting them.

http://www.pumpkin-patch.com/
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