Pumpkin Seeds Two Ways

When we were carving jack o'lanterns with the kids I thought that I'd try roasting some pumpkin seeds.  I'm not really a fan of them but I thought that if I seasoned them I'd like them.  So found two different recipes to try, one savory, one sweet.  I have to say that even after roasting and seasoning them I still wasn't really into them.  However, we discovered that our son really likes them!  So, my husband and son got to enjoy these.  My husband preferred the Toasted Pumpkin Seeds over the Caramelized Spicy ones.  Although I do have to note that they did not caramelize the way I had wanted them to and became more sugar and spicy.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
recipe from allrecipes.com by CRYSTAL10

Ingredients:
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

2.Rinse the pumpkin seeds and pat dry. Place them in a bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, melted butter and seasoned salt; stir until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.

3.Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until crisp, dry and golden brown.

Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

Caramelized Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
recipe slightly adapted from allrecipes.com by Theresa

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds, washed and dried
cooking spray
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar, the cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper, and set aside.

3.Place the pumpkin seeds on the prepared baking sheet, spray them with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake the seeds in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

4.Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds along with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cook and stir the seeds until the sugar forms a coating on the seeds, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the caramelized seeds into the bowl of sugar-spice mixture, toss to coat, and let cool.

Family Rating: so-so.

This recipe was shared at:
Simple Living and Eating

No Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Granola bars are a snack staple in our house.  My daughter is very picky with snacks but she really likes granola bars.  They are great because they travel well and I can get the 90 calorie granola bars.  I had never thought of making my own granola bars until I saw this recipe from Maria and Josh at Two Peas and Their Pod.  I especially  liked the "No Bake" part!  I surprisingly had all of the ingredients on hand (even the mini chocolate chips!) and had some time one afternoon to make these.  These were really good!  We all enjoyed these and this was even my dessert one night instead of my usual ice cream cone!  This is a great home-made snack and you can make so many different variations with what you have on hand.  The pretzels and rice krispies definitely added a nice crunch and the saltiness of the pretzels mixed with the sweetness of the other ingredients was nice as well! 

No Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Cut out an 8 x 8 inch square of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.

2. In a large sauce pan, add butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Stir in the oats, crispy cereal, and pretzels. Stir until well coated. Pour into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and gently press into the granola bars with your hands.

4. Place the bars in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into bars and serve.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up!