70s Winter Squash Soup

+Mom's retro heirloom pottery

I'm not the biggest fan of winter squash soup, but...

=>Put it in my mom's awesomely 70s bowl that she made during her pottery phase in, you guessed it, the 70s, and

=>Top with salty, smoky pan-fried garbanzos and a swirl of yogurt

=>THEN yes, I'm all in!

It was Sunday, and I had a short window of time to spend in the kitchen. I put some garbanzos in the slow cooker, thinking I'd make hummus for the kids' lunches/snacks that week. There was a lonely butternut squash sitting on the counter, a remnant from many Riverdog Farm CSA boxes ago. I had to do something with it. I ended up roasting it out of laziness (I didn't feel like peeling and chopping the squash) and making a soup. It didn't occur to me until later that I could combine these two things in one bowl. And what better bowl than one made by my free-spirited and talented mother many years ago? All the elements fell into place and seemed to fit perfectly together for a comforting and surprisingly tasty winter lunch.

To make the soup: Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice a butternut squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the squash halves on a baking sheet along with some thick onion slices, a handful of garlic cloves, and a potato if you have one. Bake until everything is soft, about 45 mins (the garlic will be done sooner). Scoop the squash flesh into a pot and add the onion, garlic, and potato. Top with plenty of chicken or vegetable broth, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika (or your favorite spice); blend with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust the seasonings (I like to add a squeeze of lime at this point).

To make the pan-fried garbanzos: Drain about a cup of cooked garbanzos, and pat dry with a towel. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a good amount of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the skillet). When the oil is hot, add the garbanzos, a generous pinch of salt, and about 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika. Toss and stir the garbanzos until they are coated with oil and spices, about 8 minutes.

Place the soup in a bowl, then top with pan-fried garbanzos and a dollop of plain yogurt, if you like.

I was visiting my parents recently and I was eyeing my mom's stash of pottery. She sold it on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley in the 1970s (ummm yeah, major cool mom points for that!!). Growing up, I think I took it for granted a bit because it was always in our kitchen and on our table, so comfortable and familiar that it blended in with the surroundings. But I realized that I didn't have any at my house, and I really wanted some.

She gave me two bowls and this cream pitcher. I plan to casually ask her for more every time I'm home, so hopefully I can amass a good collection of mom's handmade heirloom pottery. I'd say that's way cooler than fancy silverware or a set of fine china!