Halloween, along with every other holiday, was so much more exciting and magical when I was a kid. My sweet tooth loved all the candy and my creative side loved dreaming up unique costumes and pumpkin carving ideas. While most of the magic of Halloween is gone, I still manage to eat Halloween candy, dress up in a typically cliché costume, and this year I even carved a pumpkin.
A friend of mine hosted a creative birthday party where we all carved pumpkins, ate pumpkin bars, and drank pumpkin beer. To prepare for the party I picked out my “perfect” pumpkin. Not too big, not too small, perfectly symmetrical with the stem in tact. My pumpkin was a blank canvas waiting to be transformed into a Jack o lantern. 
I don’t boast about my pumpkin carving skills (or lack there of) but I think he turned out pretty cute. I took him home with me to decorate my front entry and also took home the seeds to bake. I make pumpkin seeds only one time a year so they’re a special treat for me. This year I fancied up my typical seasoning and liked the result. Here is the “recipe” I used:
Pumpkin Seeds
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Chili Powder
Onion Powder
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Bake at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes
I soaked the seeds in salt water for a few hours. I removed most of the pumpkin pulp but left a little for added flavor. I patted the seeds dry with a towel then tossed them in a bowl with the olive oil and seasonings, then spread them out on a baking sheet and baked for about 30 minutes. 
I also tried toasting some of the seeds in a cast iron skillet to see if it worked better than baking. The taste test revealed similar results but they smoked a lot (probably from the olive oil) on the cast iron skillet. I found it much easier to bake them in the oven.
The seeds turned out great and I loved the seasonings I used. However, a simple dash of salt is a simple, tried and true “recipe” that tastes great as well. Enjoy!
Oh Purple Panda 