How To Roast Seeds After A Pumpkin Patch Visit In Manassas

MANASSAS, VA — The holidays, including Halloween, will look very different this year thanks to the coronavirus. However, some quintessential fall activities such as visiting pumpkin patches near Manassas and carving jack-o’-lanterns will stay the same.

In 2020, more people are cooking at home and trying to maximize every penny spent. Here’s a simple way to keep that up: Don’t toss out those pumpkin seeds. Instead, turn them into a delicious snack.

First, pick up a pumpkin from the local pumpkin patch.

• Burnside Farms, 11008 Kettle Run Rd., Nokesville. Open daily via pre-purchased tickets. Purchase tickets here.
• Yankey Farms, 14039 Owls Nest Rd., Nokesville. Open Sundays 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Mondays 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Messick's Farm Market, 6025 Catlett Rd., Bealeton. Open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Cox Farms, 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville. Open daily for pickup 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

After you gut the pumpkin for carving, keep the seeds in a bag until you are ready to roast them. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with potassium, packed with fiber and protein, and are the perfect snack to serve your little ghosts and goblins.

Here’s our favorite recipe for baking seeds:

Separate the seeds in a bowl as you clean each pumpkin. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the seeds in cold water and strain. Pat seeds dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, toss the seeds in just enough olive oil to coat.

Spray an edged baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and spread seeds in a single layer. Season seeds with kosher salt to taste. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy. Seal leftovers in an airtight plastic container.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

Make Your Jack-O’-Lanterns Last

When you carve that perfect pumpkin, you can plan on it lasting up to 10 days before it starts to show signs of aging. However, if you want to make it last longer, you can mix three teaspoons of bleach with 3 gallons of water and spray the solution throughout, according to Clorox.