Roasted Pumpkin Seeds & Freezing Pumpkin Pulp

Roasting can be a fun, nutritious way to enjoy the pumpkin seeds from any carving or cooking pumpkin. Try out your favorite seasoning mixes if you're feeling adventurous, otherwise stick with just salt for a tasty snack option. If you're going to cook with the pumpkin flesh, make sure to get a variety intended for cooking (not carving), such as a Sugar Pumpkin.


Ingredients

• 1 cooking pumpkin (a carving pumpkin will do for seeds, not for flesh)*
• Salt, to taste
• Seasonings, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Scoop as many seeds out of the pumpkin as you can.  Discard the flesh attached and rinse. 
3. Leave moist and place on cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle generously with your favorite salt and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the seeds turn a golden brown.

To freeze pulp for future use:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Remove stem and cut pumpkin in half lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds and save for roasting. 
3. Place in a baking dish with flesh facing down, and fill with 1/2 inch of water. 
4. Bake for 50- 60 minutes, until tender.  Let cool and scoop out flesh.  
5. In a food processor, blend flesh until smooth.  Pack in freezer tight containers leaving room at the top for expansion. Let cool completely and put in freezer.  Will store for at least 6 months.

*Ingredients available at Belltown.