Sunday, October 21, 2012

{Fun Kid Activities} Pumpkins!

Fall is finally here and with it brings the great fun of pumpkins. My kids and I have been reading books on pumpkins, counting pumpkins and seeds, carving pumpkins, and enjoying the most wonderful aroma of homemade baked pumpkin pies and seeds. 

As a child I never knew the smell of baked pumpkin seeds but as a preschool teacher, it's pretty much a must. It's as if it simply falls in line with the next step of carving a pumpkin. And, I've come across the easiest recipe of all!

Raw Pepitas (No Shell Pumpkin Seeds)Simple clean out your pumpkin, separating the seeds from guts, and wash the seeds with water. Some recipes I viewed suggested you let your seeds dry for a day, however, I didn't and they still turned out great. Next you apply a minimal coating of olive oil and salt, throw in the microwave for 5 to 7 minutes {depending on your wattage}, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Now, let me say, if you enjoy more bite to your seeds, add a bit more salt {the more salt we added the more it simply reminded me of a popcorn taste but maybe that's because you could mine salt from my popcorn.} Oh, and how do you know when they're done? Simply cook until they turn brown and enjoy!

This is really a big hit at my house and in my classroom. However, pumpkin seeds are a bit tough to chew so this snack is not recommended for very young children, as it may pose as a chocking hazard. What about You? How do you enjoy pumpkins??

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1 comment:

Em said...

What superb timing, I was just asking Jon this morning if he knew how to roast pumpkin seeds. Thanks Toni, I can't wait to try these now.