Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds -- First Try

All in my family agree -- these were tasty!!

I'm going to adjust the recipe a bit and then I'll post how I made them. Today's batch were a tad too sweet for me, a tiny bit greasy, not quite salty enough, and perhaps a bit too hot. I really enjoyed the sweet spices that I used (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg).  I used a combo of maple syrup and brown sugar to sweeten. The finished seeds had a very fall vibe. I think this is a winning way to roast pumpkin seeds if you like sweet and spicy nuts in general.

As you already know, I cook up several pumpkins each fall. I puree the cooked flesh and wash the seeds, then freeze both for future use. I keep the cleaned, dry seeds in sandwich-sized baggies in the freezer. There's right around 2 cups of seeds in each bag. To use, I simply thaw the baggie of seeds on the kitchen counter for a few hours, then blot to dry on a paper towel or non-linty tea towel before roasting.

I'll give a second batch a go over the weekend and post my recipe early next week.

Your Best Budget Picnic Ideas

We have about two months left of summer picnics, from big family reunions, to church potlucks, to just one or two at a park or the beach. Our family has a couple of picnics coming up later this month, and I was thinking about the many food options for picnicking on a budget. Of course, I thought I would turn to you friends for your suggestions. Let's swap ideas.

So, I'm looking for very budget-friendly ideas in each of the following categories:

• main dishes
• fruit and vegetable sides
• starchy sides
• desserts
• beverages

Here's my list.

main dish: non-mayo chicken salad sandwiches on buns, using leftover roasted chicken, lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil, celery, salt, pepper, herbs, garlic/onion powder

fruits and vegetables: watermelon slices

starchy sides: pasta salad with vegetables added, vinaigrette dressing

dessert: fruit layer bar cookies, the kind with a cookie base, a layer of fruit filling, and a topping of crumb mixture

beverages: infused water -- cucumber, mint, and melon infused water, or raspberry and basil infused water

What would you bring on a picnic while sticking to a budget?