Pumpkin Seeds: One Of Natures Wonder Foods

If you're roasting pumpkin for pie or other recipes, you'll be dealing with a lot of seeds. And they're so good--and good for you--that we don't want them to go to waste.

Pumpkin seeds toasted properly are wonderfully crunchy and easy to eat. I've found that the seeds taste even better if boiled first in water.

1. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. It's that simple.

2. Place the seeds in an over pre-heated to 300F.

3. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake for 35 minutes or until the seeds begin to brown; remove from the oven and allow to cool. Shell or eat whole.

Here Is An No-Oil Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Bring half saucepan of water to the boil. Add 4 oz salt and allow to dissolve. Pour this mixture over pumpkin seeds. Cover the seeds and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

The following day, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Drain seeds and spread thinly on a large baking sheet. Roast until seeds are dry, turning and stirring every 15 minutes.

For This Recipe You Will Need:
1 1/4 c. raw hulled pumpkin seeds
3 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. finely snipped or chopped dates
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. regular or quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 eggs, room temp.
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. plain yogurt, room temp.
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
Grated peel of 1 med. Lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, toast pumpkin seeds until they begin to make popping sounds and start to turn golden brown; set aside.

Grease 2 (8"x4") loaf pans for use later

Combine flour and dates in a large baking bowl. Thoroughly combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt, oats, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until combined; set aside.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat 4 eggs. Gently stir in brown sugar, oil, yogurt, pumpkin and lemon peel. Stir into flour mixture only until dry ingredients are moistened.
Stir in 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds.
Turn into prepared pans.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds over top of each loaf. Lightly press into surface with back of a spoon.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes. A simple way to test if you loaf is ready is to pierece the centre of the loaf with a wooden pick - if it comes out clean it is ready..
Allow the loafs to cool before turning out.

This recipe is designed for a small, a medium or a large batch. Use an 8 x 8-inch baking pan for the small, an 8 1/2 x 13-inch pan for the medium, and a 10 x 15-inch pan for the large

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

For This Recipe You Will Need.

For The Crust, cut the butter into the sugar, oats, flour until crumbly.
Press the ingredients into an un-greased baking pan, across the bottom and up the sides.
Bake the crust for 15 minutes.

Next The Topping. Cut the butter into the nuts, flour, and brown sugar. Set aside.

The Body. Combine all ingredients in and whisk until smooth and evenly distributed. Pour into the baked crust.
Bake for twenty minutes and remove from the oven.
Immediately, spoon the topping over the filling and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick stuck into the middle comes out clean.
Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
Serving Suggestion: Serve With Fresh Whipped Cream

Here is a favourite part recipe - it serves 12
You'll need
3 eggs
2/3 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ginger
1-1/4 c. powdered sugar, divided
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

Crack your eggs into a mixing bowl and beat on high for five minutes.
Next add sugar, and continue to beat.
Fold in pumpkin and lemon juice.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Add to pumpkin mixture and blend well.
Spoon into a greased and floured 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan. Spread evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Turn cake onto a towel which has been sprinkled with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
Carefully roll up cake and towel together. Allow to cool.

Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. Unroll cake and spread with filling.
Roll cake again and chill, seam side down.

Here is one I like because you can use the microwave for it.
For This Recipe You'll Need
1 c. evaporated skimmed milk
2 c. canned pumpkin puree
2 lg. eggs, lightly beaten with 2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 c. whipped topping
Garnish: Ground cinnamon (optional)
Eight 6 ounce custard cups

Place milk in a 1 quart measure or casserole into the microwave. Bring to the boil. Remove
Stir in all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the whipped topping and garnish.
Spray the custard cups with nonstick cooking spray and pour custard evenly into cups.
Place cups in circle on round tray. Microwave on Medium 20 minutes.

Custard is cooked when wooden pick inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean and centre is thickened, but not set.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until completely cooled and centre is set.
To serve, top each custard with 1 1/2 tsp. whipped topping. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if using.

The recorder holder for growing the worlds largest pumpkin goes to Ron Wallace, with a pumpkin weighing in at 1,502 lbs. The record was established at the 13th annual Giant Pumpkin Growers Championship in Rhoad Island in 2006

The previous world record was held by Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania with a pumpkin weighing almost 1,500 lbs.

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