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| A Pumpkin seed recipe |
Greetings from Utah ! How is your weather this time of year?
Winter has caught us by surprise as Autumn was very mild and then one day then whoosh* the snow came tumbling down and we were in single digit temps. That day it began I went out in the afternoon to feed my hens and llamas and stepped out into a flurry of snow and a drop in temperatures. Visibility was low and I stepped into the coop to turn on the infrared bulbs and no electricity..... Well you can read our new post about that experience here. The Day Winter Came
Now for the Pumpkin Seeds.
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| Connecticut Field Pumpkins Little Utah Farm |
I hefted those 16 Connecticut Field giants into the barn and lined them up along the walls to keep them warm and safe. But when the temps plummeted to teens then single then to Yikes -7 degrees, the big fellows didn't stand a chance. They froze solid and heavy too, I discovered, as I carried each one through the snow along the barn and into the kitchen to save the seeds. In the warm kitchen the frost gathered on the outer shell as they thawed. A few that were not mature I gave to my husband as he left for the shooting range.
We would not want to let a frozen pumpkin thaw out completely as they turn to mush, shell and all. It is then you have quite a mess. They can not be picked up whole as they just fall apart. I worked fast and furious excavating those precious seeds. Thankfully, Nature protects those seeds with her design and the seeds were fresh and healthy. I am so happy as I love pumpkin seeds don't you?
Here is one recipe that works for me. You can share yours if you like in the comments below.
Pumpkin Seeds Recipe:
These slippery pumpkin seeds look so pretty nestled
inside the pumpkin. You got to scoop them out and pull
off the orange strings that hold them in place.
Then give them a good rinse and
remove any lingering orange strings.
Swish them around and
in time they will be clean and shiny.
Using 1 1/2 cups of seeds per batch- put in a pan of boiling salted water
( I used 1/2 tsp of salt) for 20 minutes.
You can see a foam rising and that is OK. Just stir occasionally.
Drain and spread on a towel then spread
out on a pan to dry overnight. Must be dry.
Mix in for each 1 1/2 cups of seeds
1 Tbls of oil
1 Tbls of melted butter
1 tsp to 1 Tbls of salt ( adjust to your taste)
Bake at 300 - 315 degrees depending on your oven* Bake till golden brown.
When the seeds are cooled they should have a nice clean edible crunch like popcorn.
If they feel tough and inedible it is only because they were not dry enough *see note below
* Note: If your seeds were not completely dry when you added your oils then you may need more roasting time to get a nice crunch. Let them cool and bite into one. If it feels tuff then stir the batch and place in the oven for 6 minutes then test again. Do another time if necessary.
Store in a mason jar tightly sealed and watch these disappear. Easy to eat just like popcorn.
Now for The Day Winter Came
Thank you for visiting Little Utah Farm!
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| Deborah Moen Little Utah Farm |
Until next time,
A Happy New Year to you all
Deborah
