One Halloween staple is pumpkin carving. The faces, the candles and the notorious “pumpkin guts” are something with which most of us are familiar. 

Usually, you scoop out the goopy orange slime and put it directly in a bag to go into the garbage bin. But the pumpkin seeds we usually throw away have some delicious qualities — if you know how to bring them out.

So here is a simple how-to on making savory pumpkin seeds to snack on throughout Halloween week.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin seeds; a large bowl; paper towels; a large Ziploc bag; 2 tablespoons melted butter; one teaspoon seasoned salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ¼ onion powder; ¼ garlic powder; baking sheet lined with aluminum foil

Steps:

1. Scoop the “guts” from the pumpkin and place them into a bowl full of water to soak.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 F.

3. Lay out your paper towels on a flat surface, and after the seeds have soaked for about 10-15 minutes, begin separating the orange goop from the seeds. Lay the clean seeds on the paper towel and pat them dry.

4. Once dry, place the seeds into the large Ziploc bag and begin adding your ingredients.

5. Add in your melted butter, seasoned salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and garlic powder.

6. Shake the bag to evenly spread the ingredients throughout the seeds.

7. Spread the seeds evenly onto the baking sheet, and put them in the oven for about 45 minutes.

8. Periodically turn the seeds to ensure they don’t burn.

9. Store in an air-tight container.

If your seeds look dry when they are still in the Ziploc bag, feel free to add a little more melted butter and the tiniest amount of Worcestershire sauce (don’t add too much or it could become too overpowering).

While it might seem like a lot of work for some “pumpkin guts,” the end product is definitely worth it. Not only do they taste good, but you get to be a part of making a treat to share with family and friends.

Features reporter Taylor Metcalf can be reached at [email protected].