To prepare your soup, follow the directions on the soup label. Spice up your soup by adding a dash of Old Bay or a dollop of crème fraiche (or sour cream). A little spoonful of caramelized onions will add a little extra to any soup.

These heavenly biscuits can be prepped in advanced, frozen, and then cooked at the time of service. Just add another 15 minutes in the oven. For anyone looking for a bit more biscuit sophistication, add a handful of your favorite freshly chopped herbs and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese into the biscuit mix.

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and mix until well-combined. Add the butter pieces and mash with a fork until the mixture takes on a pale yellow hue. Pour in the half-and-half and mix with the fork until dough starts to form. If the dough seems too sticky, add a small amount of flour at a time until the dough is just pliable. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick and fold it in half as many times as possible to create layers. Usually you can fold it 4 times before it becomes too difficult. Place the rolling pin on top of the folded dough and roll it out until the dough is about 2 inches thick. Using a round 2 inch cookie cutter carefully cut out 8 biscuits.

With a metal spatula, transfer the biscuits on a Silpat or parchment-lined sheet pan. If there is any dough left, make more biscuits. Once all the biscuits are on the sheet pan, bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the biscuits from the oven, brush them lightly with the tablespoon of softened butter, and serve while still warm.