Fall Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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! 

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

After making Addictive Baked Potato Chips, I was eyeing sweet potatoes and figured I would give them a try with a sweet twist. I made them in the same manner as the regular potatoes with different spices that gave them a lovely fall flavor.

sweet potatoes

mixed up salt

cinnamon

nutmeg

vanilla extract

olive oil



Scrub your sweet potatoes with a brush under running water. Slice them the short way by hand or using a mandolin. I cut mine in about 1/4 inch strips. Pour some olive oil and a bit of vanilla extract on a baking sheet and rub around with a paper towel to spread evenly. Cover the baking sheet with sweet potatoes and then season. I used a moderate amount of cinnamon and just a bit of nutmeg. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, pull them out of the oven, flip them, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. These were pretty consistent in the cooking and texture. Sweet potatoes are naturally more dense than regular potatoes so, they cook up more like a vegetable and don't get as chewy as a texture. That's why I chose to cut down on the cooking time from the regular recipe.



Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Holiday squash will never be served simply boiled and mashed ever again! Everyone will be blown away with all the savory fall tastes in this dish. I may have gone a little crazy with this one, throwing in everything but the kitchen sink, but it got rave reviews. And who doesn't love a food served in its own bowl?

 

whole butternut squash

1 Tbsp chives

2 oz cream cheese

2 Tsp cinnamon

1 Tsp nutmeg

1 Tsp butter

Cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place it in a baking dish, cut side down in 1/2 inch of water and roast in a 450 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. When it's done, flip it over and allow to cool enough to handle. Then, scrape out the innards, being careful to preserve the skin. Mix the innards in a mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Spoon back into the skin. I topped mine with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and brown sugar and it was amazing!

Greek Yogurt Fruit Dip

So, I'm Greek. I spent a month in Greece as a teenager. I liked Greek yogurt before it was cool. I trekked down to the Greek market towns away to get it made from goat's milk, unsweetened, and we sweetened it with honey like every Greek dessert basically made, before companies like Fage and Chobani looked like geniuses packaging it with fruit sides. So, I love that it's available everywhere now and that everyone is eating it, even if it's not the genuine article. So, I love the recipes using it. It is so versatile to replace ingredients and I always keep it in my fridge. Serve this for your kids or at your next party, and you'll turn people into believers if they've yet to try it still.

 

1 cup Greek Yogurt (plain or vanilla)

2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 Tsp cinnamon

1/4 Tsp vanilla extract

1/8 Tsp brown sugar

 

Recipe adapted from Fit Sugar

Mix ingredients together and serve with fruit or apple slices for a great snack or party platter. Top with additional cinnamon for presentation. Apples should be squirted with lemon juice to prevent browning if not being served immediately.