Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

When you carve your jack-o-lantern this Halloween, don’t throw away the seeds. With a little work, you can turn them into a tasty snack that’s loaded with zinc. Boiling the seeds before baking helps the seed retain your favorite seasoning.

Seeds from 1 pumpkin
Salt
Oil
Seasonings of your choice

Remove the seeds from the pumpkin. Rinse to wash off the strings attached to the seeds.

Boil the seeds in salt water for 10 minutes. While the seeds are boiling, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain.

Spread out on a baking sheet so that no seeds are on top of each other. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from pan into a bowl. Toss with about 1 tablespoon oil (any will work) and favorite seasoning (such as Cajun spices, a mix with ginger, or Chilean merkén).

Spread back on the baking sheet, again ensuring that no seeds are on top of each other. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until seeds are dried and have turned a light golden color.

Scrape into bowl. Let the seeds cool before serving.

From John Griffin

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

The following recipe was adapted by Elise.com from a recipe in Oprah magazine. The original called for it to be served in hollowed out miniature pumpkins. A nice touch, if you feel the need to dress it up. But there really isn’t a need to.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin or 3 (15-ounce) cans 100 percent pumpkin
5 cups of chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian option
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.

Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.

With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.

Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Makes 8 servings.

From Elise.com

That pumpkin you buy for a jack-o-lantern is not just a decoration, regardless of the sticker that may appear on it.

It’s a fruit, like any other squash, with nutritious seeds at the center and firm flesh that you can eat as a side dish or in a pie.

But getting it ready to eat takes a little effort on your part.

The first step is to select a pumpkin. The more colorful heirloom pumpkins, such as those blue-gray or green, are actually better for eating, though some are marked for decoration. The worst for eating is said to the standard carving pumpkin, but those cook up as well as any other, even if they are slightly stringier. (Just run it through the food processor a little while longer and you won’t know the difference.)

Look for a pumpkin without any bruises on the outside; or if there are bruises, cut around them.

Cutting into the pumpkin can take some effort. I’ve seen people use a hammer to drive a knife into the skin. That requires some skill and careful attention. I haven’t tried it. I’m the type who would drive the knife into my hand first. So, I use a bread knife with a serrated blade and a strong handle.

Cut the pumpkin roughly in half first. That way, you can scoop out as much of the seeds and string as possible. I use my hands for that, though a spoon works almost as well. (Don’t throw the seeds, or pepitas, away. Click here for directions on toasting them.)

Then I cut the pumpkin into pieces and place them on a half sheet pan (18 inches by 13 inches) with the skin side up. It doesn’t matter the size of the pieces as long as they lie relatively flat on the pan. Don’t bother trying to peel the pumpkin before cooking, it takes too much time and effort.

About halfway through the carving, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Once the pan is full or the pumpkin is cut up, then pour a little water until the pan, so it is about 1/4 inch deep. Tent the top of the tray with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

Cook for about 25 minutes.

Shortly before the first phase of cooking is up, melt a stick of butter in a small saucepan.

Remove the tray from the oven and uncover the pumpkin. Turn the pumpkin over and brush the slices with melted butter. Return to the oven uncovered and cook for another 20-25 minutes or until the flesh is soft when poked with a fork.

Remove from the oven and drain the water. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, peel it.

If you are serving the pumpkin as a side dish, season it with more butter, salt or brown sugar to taste.

If you are processing the pumpkin for soup or pie, cut the pieces into 1-inch squares. Process in a food processor or blender, a little at a time until smooth.

I measure out leftover pumpkin into 2-cup freezer bags. The pumpkin will keep for up to 1 year in the freezer.

Why do all this work? Because fresh pumpkin is vastly superior to the canned variety. To find out, decorate your pumpkin on the outside, then cut it up, cook it and discover for yourself just how delicious it is.

Green Vegetarian Cuisine, 1017 N. Flores, is hosting a cupcake eating contest Sunday as part of its World Vegetarian Month Block Party.

The party runs from 4 to 8 p.m. and features artists, vendors, face painting, chalk art and more in addition to the contest.

There is no cover, but people are asked to bring vegetarian non-perishables for Food Not Bombs.

To enter the cupcake eating contest, e-mail mike.behrend@greensanantonio.com.