Drying

• Before roasting pumpkin seeds or using them in recipes, they must first be dried. Wash the seeds thoroughly in cool water immediately after removing from the pumpkin. Remove any fibrous tissue that may cling to the seeds while they are still moist. Pumpkin seeds can be dried in one of three ways----air-drying, oven drying and dehydrator drying.
  
  Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a large cookie sheet and allow them to sit at room temperature for two to three days to dry. Place a fan on low speed facing the seeds to expedite the process, if desired. For faster drying, preheat a dehydrator to 120 degrees F and place the seeds on the drying tray for one to two hours.
  
  

Roasting

• Dried pumpkin seeds can be roasted and eaten as a snack, or added to other dishes. Place the dried seeds in a single layer on a large cookie sheet, or leave them on the pan if you're performing this step immediately after drying. Drizzle with olive oil or high-quality vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt to taste. For spicy pumpkin seeds, sprinkle with one teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves and ½ teaspoon nutmeg per every three cups of seeds.
  
  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F, and bake the seasoned seeds for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven every five or six minutes during baking, and shake the pan to redistribute the salt and prevent the seeds from burning. Remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven and allow them to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or in the refrigerator for up to two months.
  
  

Serving Ideas

• If eating roasted pumpkin seeds alone doesn't sound appealing, they can also be added to trail mix, or used in a variety of other dishes. Sauté roasted pumpkin seeds with carrots, broccoli and onion, and serve over seasoned rice or barley for a hearty meal. The flavor of the vegetables will be enhanced by cooking with the roasted seeds.
  
  Sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds over the top of a green salad for a delicious crunch, or make them into a salad dressing. Grind ½ cup seeds with two cloves chopped garlic, one tablespoon fresh parsley and one tablespoon cilantro leaves. Combine the mixture with ¼ cup olive oil and three tablespoons lemon juice, and serve on top of the salad for a zesty flavor.
  
  Roasted or dried pumpkin seeds make a great addition to hot cereals, especially oatmeal. Add a handful of spicy pumpkin seeds just before the cooking time is over to add a little life to your oats. Pumpkin seeds can also be added to your favorite cookie recipes, or sprinkled on top of cookies before baking for an added crunch.