Try roasting the seeds next time you carve a pumpkin! Roasted pumpkin seeds are easy, tasty, and the healthiest thing you'll eat on Halloween.

Step 1: Acquire Seeds

You've just scooped out a pumpkin or other winter squash, creating a nice pile of pumpkin guts and seeds. Take just a bit longer to squish through the mess, picking out the seeds and detaching as much of the stringy goo as possible. If you've got kids this is the perfect job for them.

Give your seeds a wash in the colander to remove a bit more of the sticky stuff. Don't stress too much about getting them perfectly clean- a bit of leftover pumpkin flesh will add flavor.

Step 2: Oil and Season

Find a baking sheet with raised edges to prevent escapees.

Drizzle the baking sheet with olive oil, dump in your rinsed and drained seeds, and add seasonings. I used a combination of garlic salt and cajun spice here, but use whatever you like. Options include hot sauces, soy sauce, curry powder, worchestershire sauce, or anything else that makes your mouth happy.

Stir the seeds around with your fingers until they're all well covered in oil and spice. Lick your fingers to make sure you're happy with the spice mixture.

Step 3: Bake

Toss them into the oven at 350-400F. Stir periodically to prevent sticking or burning. Have you ever made chex mix? This is about the same thing.

When they're golden brown on the edges, set them aside to cool. Be careful- hot oily pumpkin seeds will burn you.

Depending on how heavily you've loaded up your tray and the enthusiasm of your oven, it may take 15 - 30 minutes to toast your pumpkin seeds. The small amount I've used here made a nice thin layer, and toasted in about 15 minutes. Keep checking, and stir frequently.

Step 4: Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature. Just make sure to keep hungry fingers clear until they've cooled off enough to eat.

I've seen these served out of a hollowed-out mini pumpkin lined with foil, but am far too lazy to do this myself much less take a picture of it for you- we just eat them off the pan as soon as they're not going to burn us too badly.