The Pumpkin

With fall drawing near, why not take advantage of the season's best gustatory delights? They don't have to be gluttonous either! Take for instance the pumpkin...

As a child I remember the family trip to the local pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. Before we dove in to carve a ghoulish masterpiece, we first feasted on the delicious pumpkin seeds. Which brings me to a fabulously fun child-friendly- and adult-friendly for that matter- seasonal party idea. Invite your friends over for a carving party. But first, dish up some delicious bites including this recipe from Real Simple Magazine.


Seeds from 2 medium pumpkins
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat oven to 300° F. Remove the seeds from the pumpkins. Discard the pulp.

Spread the seeds (no need to rinse them) evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until dried, about 1 hour.

Toss the seeds, olive oil, celery salt, and cumin in a large skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until the seeds are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.


Yield: Makes 8 servings