We're not through with Butters yet, kids!

First of all, I'd like you all to meet Butters. (Isn't he just precious??) I found him at the Troy Farmers' Market this past Saturday-- along with a GIGANTANORMOUS kohlrabi that I will amuse myself with at a later point-- Butters (and the epic kohlrabi) are from Slack Hollow Farm. When I told the nice people working at their table that he was just the little squash I'd been looking for, they gave me a free bunch of fresh, amazingly fragrant rosemary. *sigh* I love the farmers' market.

Anyhoo, I do so apologize for neglecting you all; I've said it before and I'll say it again... school is absorbing all the hours in my life that were formerly occupied by happy and fun things, like cooking... baking... and blogging. It is a bit sad, but necessary; I am gaining some awesome knowledge, however, and I'm coming to understand metabolic processes on a whole new level. It's very interesting.

In any event, this is just a little something from me, because I know you've all wondered, like I have, if the seeds you scoop out of Butters before roasting him are toastable and yummy like the pumpkin seeds I'm sure a lot of you scooped out of your pumpkins this past weekend (and if you didn't toast your pumpkin seeds, shame on you!!).

The answer is yes. I found a recipe for toasted winter squash seeds (winter squash is just Butters' family; acorn, butternut, buttercup, etc.), and they can make for a tasty and healthy snack. Usually I write the recipes out with my own little twist, but this one I'm just going to copy and paste (it's from allrecipes.com):

Roasted Winter Squash Seeds

Ingredients

• 1 cup winter squash seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste [note from me: make sure that it's super-finely ground salt!]
• [another note from me: if you're feeling daring, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot chili powder to the mix!]
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. After removing the seeds from the squash, rinse with water, and remove any strings and bits of squash. Pat dry, and place in a small bowl. Stir the olive oil and salt into the seeds until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Well, there you have it, kids. The perfect snack for a chilly fall day... especially if you add either one of those special, warming spices. And, as always, I encourage you to discover your own favorite seasoning blends! Be creative, that's part of the fun of cooking.

Say "ciao" to our friend Butters!

Heehee...