Pumpkin, Spice, and Everything Nice

Nicole Eveleth

Posted on October 22 2018

Fall is a season of flavors. We spoon cinnamon into our cider, cumin into our chili, and pumpkin spice into our lattes. To the untrained eye, it might seem as though we are compensating for the bright, exuberant flavors of summer life that we stow away once the rain begins to fall, and spending time outside seems like a less-than mandatory exercise. However, it must be made clear that fall flavors are no second banana, er, pumpkin. In fact, we at Cottonways have compiled a few of our favorite fall treats so that you can share in the fun.    

 

Cinnamon Nutmeg Pumpkin Seeds

The best part of carving a jack-o-lantern are the enless possibilities of pumpkin-faced artistry. The worst part: cleaning up the gooey mess of seeds and stringy bits that cling to your fingers like discarded garden entrails. Fortunately, our recipe guarantees that those nutrient-rich seeds won’t go to waste. Our cinnamon nutmeg pumpkin seeds are a sweet reward to counteract the savagery you just carried out on that pumpkin.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of pumpkin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of butter

Before preparing your seeds for the oven, make sure that you have rinsed them thoroughly to remove any excess pumpkin string. Next, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pumpkin seeds, and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. For a bit of extra flavor, add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt to this initial boil. Next, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Melt the butter, and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and salt. Whisk to perfection, and add the seeds, tossing liberally to ensure an even coat. Spray a baking sheet with PAM, and spread the seeds along the pan evenly. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to maintain an even coat. Once the warm scents of melted butter and cinnamon are more than you can stand, and your seeds have cooled, serve to the family and enjoy.

Carving pumpkins is always a messy undertaking. This Halloween, vow to make the most out of a sticky situation and enjoy a snack that’s always crave worthy.

 

(Note: The recipe above is a modified version of All Recipes’ Cinnamon Toast Pumpkin Seeds.)