Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

The basic recipe for roasted pumpkin seed simply goes like this: Mix melted butter and a dash of salt with pumpkin seeds, spread the seeds on a cookie sheet in a single layer, roast for 45 minutes. I didn't want to have to do extra cleanup (a saucepan for melted butter, plus a cookie sheet), so I threw cast iron into the mix, and I'm certain the hot cast iron pan helped the seeds roast better and quicker than a regular cookie sheet. The result:

• Place cast iron skillet in cold oven, and heat to 300 degrees F.
• Put 1-1/2 cups pumpkin seeds into a bowl.
• Take the hot pan out of the oven, and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Use a fork to spread the butter around the pan as it melts, so the cooking surface is coated.
• Pour the melted butter into the bowl of seeds. Add a dash of salt and a dash of garlic powder. Mix it all around.
• Pour the bowl of seeds back into the same hot cast iron skillet. Use the fork to spread the seeds out in a single layer, for even roasting.
• Place pan and seeds into 300 degree (F) oven. Stir the seeds at 15 minutes and 30 minutes.
• After 40 to 45 minutes, make sure the seeds are toasty brown. Pour hot seeds into a bowl, and serve hot. You can even mix a dash of additional spice of your choice into the bowl of hot seeds for additional flavor. (My batch of seeds toasted quickly, and were entirely done after 40 minutes. They taste better when still hot!)

P.S. - you don't even have to wash out your cast iron pan! After the pan cools off, just give it a good wipe-down with a paper towel to take off the excess grease, and the pan is ready to be put away. The butter adds to the seasoning of the pan's surface.