It’s pumpkin season! When carving your pumpkins, don’t toss the seeds. They make a great snack by drying and roasting.
To dry, carefully wash pumpkin seeds to remove the clinging fibrous pumpkin tissue. Pumpkin seeds can be dried in the sun, in an electric dehydrator at 115-120°F for 1 to 2 hours, or in an oven on a very low, warm temperature only, for 3 to 4 hours. Stir them frequently to avoid scorching. Dried seeds should not be stored with any moisture left in them.
To roast the seeds, take dried pumpkin seeds, toss with oil and/or salt and roast in a preheated oven at 250°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Sugar or pie pumpkins are best for cooking and baking a tasty pie or bread. They are smaller than pumpkins used for carving festive jack-o-lanterns. They have dense flesh and high sugar content. The flesh is less stringy and the color is usually darker. If using fresh pie pumpkins in place of a 15-ounce can of pumpkin, use 1 3/4 cups of mashed fresh pumpkin.