The one good thing about Halloween

I hate Halloween. Orange and black are ugly colors. Costumes are expensive, uncomfortable to wear, and they (mostly) look stupid. All that sugar makes my kids unrecognizable. And what good is a holiday if it doesn't involve a great big festive meal with extended family?

Halloween has one redeeming thing. I hope you already know how to do this, but just in case, here's the recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds à la Bookworm:

1. When you're scooping out the insides of your jack-o-lantern, separate the seeds out. You might want to rinse them, but don't get too fanatic about it. Little bits of pumpkin left clinging to the seeds will come out crispy and delicious. Also, if you're not going to roast them right away, just put them in a bowl of water. They'll be fine on the kitchen counter for a few hours.

2. Liberally oil a cookie sheet or two, depending on how many seeds. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the sheet. Salt according to taste. (My taste: lots and lots, and preferably kosher.)

3. Bake at very low heat (250° F) for 45 minutes or so.

4. Eat while still hot.

And don't forget, you can do this with the seeds from any type of winter squash. Yum!