Even though Bruce and I don’t do a “normal” turkey-based Thanksgiving, this chilly time of year still provides cooking inspiration. For a start, there must be pumpkin pie. It’s the only time of the year I make it — actually the only time I use pumpkin for something sweet. In my house, it usually ends up in soup. I have a friend who always buys sugar pumpkins (the small ones), bakes them, scrapes out the pulp, strains it, and then begins to make her pies. I confess I’m one of those who uses it from the can, after reading once that the result is indistinguishable.

Today’s main dish will be carrot and chickpea Tagine with couscous. It would be just as easy to make this in a slow cooker pot, but the scent of cooking in a Tagine pot (a traditional Moroccan ceramic cooker) can’t be beat. This afternoon the whole house will smell of spices and a special kind of warmth that I associate with this season.

Today I also have the crock pot in action making sweet potato/black bean soup. This is now a winter staple, so I’m happy to share it here:

Sweet Potato/Black Bean Soup

• 64 oz vegetable broth
• 1/4 green cabbage, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup black beans (or Bob’s Red Mill Black Bean Soup Mix)
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, chopped
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• cilantro (for garnish)

Place all ingredients (except cilantro) in a crock pot and allow to cook on a medium setting for 8 or so hours (until beans are tender). Serve with a garnish of chopped cilantro and crusty bread.