Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

When you de-seed your pumpkin, place the seeds in salted water and let them sit overnight.  This will brine them, making the seeds softer, and help flavor them.

Ingredients

2 c fresh pumpkin seeds, soaked

2 T melted butter or olive oil

2 t kosher salt, or variations

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 300*

2.  Rinse your seeds well, making sure to remove all the strings left from the pumpkin

3.  Toss with about butter or olive oil, season as desired. 

4.  Place in a greased pyrex ONE LAYER thick

5.  Place pyrex dish in oven, cook for 20-30 minutes until golden.  Toss seeds every so often to brown both sides

6.  Let cool, place in Mason jar room temp for a week, or frozen indefinitely.

Variations:

1.  Cajun- 1 T paprika, 1/2 T salt, 1/2 T pepper, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t onion powder, 1 t cayenne pepper, 1 t thyme, 1/2 t oregano,

2.  Pumpkin pie-  2 T brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t nutmeg 1/4 t ginger

3. Cheesy-  1/4 c Parmesan, 1 t black pepper

4. Spicy- 1 T Tabasco, 2 t chili powder, 1 t salt, 1 t cumin, 1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1/2 t black pepper

5. Garlicky- 1 T garlic powder, 1 t season salt

Cajun Pepitas