I know I'm jumping the gun here but, I love the fall in New England! I love everything about living here and actually getting to experience foliage when we don't just have an onslaught of rain. Fall is my favorite season. I'm a sucker for the Topsfield Fair, apple picking, Pumpkin Spice lattes, cider donuts, the smell of our first fire, cuddling in sweatshirts, plaid shirts, and boots. Let's not forget pumpkin carving! Every year I try to carve some elaborate pumpkin for my house and end up with all these seeds!
I'm not a fan of pumpkin seeds. For years, I tried recipe after recipe, and just never cared for them. Since I hate to waste anything, I kept making them until I came up with this one. Now, I leave them on a dish on my counter after I make them and they are gone in no time! The flavoring captures everything I love about fall in New England! And don't throw away that pumpkin either! I have plenty of recipes for not just pies but, pumpkin cookies, muffins, and loaves that will make you want to savor every bit of your carving pumpkin.
Take a large carving pumpkin (mine was 12 lbs) and scoop out all the seeds. Try to separate as much of the seeds as you can from the pumpkin goo (That's the technical term, right?) but don't wash them. Put them in a bowl and toss them with 3 Tbsp of apple juice or cider and 1 Tsp of maple syrup. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and pour the seeds out onto it and spread them out evenly. It does get sticky so if you have a new pan, you might want to use aluminum foil to line the pan. Then I put a few Tbsp of vanilla extract in a squirt bottle and evenly spray the seeds. A Misto works well but spray generously! Then sprinkle them with 1/2 Tsp nutmeg and 1Tbsp of cinnamon and roast in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes. I make sure they are well dried out in the center. Let cool for a few minutes but don't wait too long or they will dry very sticky and hard. Use a metal spatula to scrape them off the pan and mix them up and separate. Wait until they are completely cool before packaging them up at all, but they last a long time covered or in plastic. I've kept them to top baking dishes months later and they are just as good as the day you made them!
