The Unpampered Chef

As a matter of policy, I do not attend 'parties' that sell things.  I make only the occasional exception, and I made one the other night for a Pampered Chef party.
I had no idea.
I do not watch the home shopping network nor the food network, except for an occasional episode of Cake Boss.  So with all those gadgets I do not have, (not to mention my limited range of taste buds) it is no wonder I can not cook.
And yet yesterday, inspired by the butternut squash in my refrigerator and the Prairie Mama, I made Butternut Squash Soup.  I used Emeril's recipe.  Because it sounds fanciful and it called for a minced jalepeno.  And I grew two square feet of jalepenos.  I also used one half cup of thinly sliced carrots fresh from the SFG.  And an onion from my co-op basket.  And amazingly I made a pot of soup without the aid of any prep bowls, pinch pots, mandolines, julienne peelers, or immersible mixers.  I guess I am just extra talented with a paring knife. 
Emeril's recipe said to serve it with 'the shrimp salsa'.  I suppose this is where it would have been helpful to have seen the episode.  I didn't have any shrimp salsa, let alone 'the' shrimp salsa.  I served it with a spoon.
I thought the soup was delicious.
The STP thought it could use some bacon.
The Goob thought it inedible.    He said it looked like mashed carrots and tasted like mashed potatoes.  He made gagging noises and said he would rather starve than eat it. 
I suggested he could do just that. 
I don't think a mandoline would have made any difference.