ECONOGAL

Last night I attempted to modify an online recipe into another “Recipe for Two” and ended up saving supper with spices. I had produce to use. The acorn squash could sit on the counter for a while longer but the giant bell pepper was another matter. So I searched for recipes including both. Click here to see the recipe I chose to alter.

Since there are only two of us and I only wanted to use one large acorn squash I started to reduce the inputs. Excitement about the ability to throw a simple soup together so I could get ready for a Zoom meeting was my undoing. I overlooked the call for apple cider as the base liquid.

Of course by the time I realized my lack of the proper liquid, I was at the step where the roasted vegetables are blended with the cream cheese and sautéed onions. And the apple cider. So I searched the fridge for a suitable substitute.

I ruled out cranberry juice in favor of a dry white wine. The viognier, from McManis Family Vineyards was perfect. But only a half cup remained in the bottle. The only other open wine was a red blend. Quite a bit remained in the bottle as it was too sweet for our palates. So I added some of that as well, forgetting one of Emeril Lagasse’s main tenet’s-only use the best.

After blending, the consistency of the soup was fantastic. So, the mixture was poured back into the soup pot to heat. A test taste yielded a too sweet tone to the creation. The sweetness overpowered the root vegetables. A disaster was upon us.

In our house, when all else fails, add heat. Spiced heat. Since I had already sprinkled the acorn squash with cumin before baking we chose complimentary spices. In addition to the Savory Spice line, we often use a Christmas gift, The Cook’s Pallete Chilli Collection. The chilli’s range from quite mild to very hot.

Cayenne and Chipotle are the spices we used last night when saving supper with spices. The heat of the spices countered the too sweet sweetness of the red wine blend. Our Acorn Squash Soup for Two was saved.

Obviously, I need to keep working on the recipe. Next time, I will either use only a dry white wine or some type of stock. Most likely vegetable stock. I intend to keep adding four ounces of cream cheese as well as adjust the amount of yogurt. The single acorn squash with the bell pepper and small onion create the perfect amount for the base. Hopefully, I can publish a tested Acorn Squash Soup For Two recipe later this winter.

In the meantime, if your thrown together recipe turns disastrous, remember saving supper with spices may allow you a meal that can be enjoyed.