Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

HalloWeekenend has arrived and they are calling for snow in the valley! There is no better fall treat than roasted pumpkin seeds and a cold Sam Adams Octoberfest, so this year we decided to perfect our pumpkin seed roasting technique.

For inspiration, I looked online and visited a few of my favorite blogs (Simply Recipes and Oh She Glows) who start by boiling clean seeds in salt water. We like really crunchy seeds, and this technique promised to deliver. It's quick, easy, and DELICIOUS. Since we were left with two pumpkins and a baby on our hands, we took full advantage and got a yearbook worthy picture, the kind that would be super embarrassing a few years down the road! 

On a side note, I followed these instructions and made the best grilled cheese sandwich today. What did I do differently this time? I grated the cheese, used a cast iron skillet and melted the butter in the skillet before adding the bread. Definitely worth the extra few minutes for the end result. If you're a little lazy, Amy's Organic chunky tomato bisque is a longtime favorite of mine. 

Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
adapted from Simply Recipes

1. Clean seeds using water and colander.
2. Boil seeds for 10 minutes in salt water (I used 1 tsp salt and 4 cups water for 1 cup of seeds)
3. Drain the seeds and pat dry with a paper towel
4. In a large bowl or roasting pan, add olive oil and desired seasonings. Then spread in thin layer on roasting pan. (I used Tony Chachere's)
5. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes, then stir and bake for additional 8-10 minutes. Taste a few seeds, depending on the size you may need to roast for a few more minutes.
6. Enjoy with a delicious cold October beer!