In case you have been saving your pumpkin seeds, neatly scooped out from your front porch Jack O’Lantern, but don’t have any idea what to do with them, not to worry! Below are three recipes, each with their own pumpkin seed twist. They are easy to make so you may want to try them all!
Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee
1/2 cup butterscotch caramel sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon extract
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups pumpkin seeds, roasted
1 cup almonds, crushed
Lightly coat baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet, slowly melt the caramel sauce and sugar. When melted stir in cinnamon extract and cayenne. Continue cooking until mixture reaches a temperature of 310 degrees F. Stir in pumpkin seeds until completely coated. Spread caramelized seeds onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with crushed almonds. Separate seeds with wooden spoon until cooled.
Cook's Notes:
Melted sugar is very hot. Please use extreme caution when handling and pouring. Pumpkin seeds may be purchased already roasted. If using the seeds from a jack-o-lantern, rinse and clean seeds. Place on a baking sheet, lightly coated with cooking spray, in a preheated 250 degree F oven. Roast seeds for about 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. The actual seed of the pumpkin is inside the hull. The hull is edible.
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Hilda's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
1 1/3 cups pumpkin seeds, cleaned and rinsed
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the pumpkin seeds with the garlic powder, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper on prepared baking sheet and toss to combine.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until seeds are crispy and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to release any seeds that have stuck to the baking sheet, and cool completely before serving.
Roasted seeds will keep in an airtight storage container for up to 1 week.
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Baby Spinach, Avocado, and Pumpkin Seed Salad
Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson
10 cups baby spinach leaves, washed and ready to use
1/2 cup green pumpkin seeds
2 (small to medium-sized) avocados
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the spinach leaves and pumpkin seeds into a large salad bowl.
Halve the avocados and then remove the stones. Spoon out the flesh over the salad leaves and pumpkin seeds.
Mix the olive oil, lime juice and zest in a small bowl. Add the salt and whisk to emulsify.
Pour the dressing over the salad, and then gently toss everything together using your hands. Take care not to mush the avocado pieces.
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