Hearty soup is one of the most economical, easy and tasty treats of the season. It's also a wonderful way to catch your breath when making everyday meals in between elaborate holiday preparations.

The contents of soup pots, however, don't have to be either homemade or store-bought. Halfway-homemade can equal some super spoonfuls that start with a foundation of canned soup, like low-sodium chicken and rice, and get a kick from quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, minced scallions and fresh-pressed garlic.

Another good choice is corn chowder. You can add fresh corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, jalapenos and Cajun seasoning blend before topping with crumbles of cornbread.

Those selections and others that follow are great and will probably inspire a few easy ideas of your own.

Food preparation at any time of year can be simple, nutritious, inexpensive, fun — and fast. The "souped-up" combinations are delicious proof that everyone has time for tasty home cooking. You effortlessly become a better cook, since there are no right or wrong amounts. These are virtually-can't-go-wrong combinations, so whatever you choose to use can't help but draw "wows."

CHICKEN AND RICE THAT RISES TO THE OCCASION

To store-bought, preferably low-sodium chicken and rice soup before heating, add quick-cook brown rice, a variety of diced mushrooms, diced celery, diced carrots, minced scallions, freshly ground black pepper and fresh-pressed garlic.

BETTER BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Add canned pumpkin puree, freshly ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to store-bought butternut squash soup before heating. Just prior to serving, top with croutons prepared by cutting cubes of well-toasted cinnamon-raisin bread.

MAKING ROOM FOR MUSHROOM BARLEY

Barley is one of the healthiest whole grains, ensuring this popular type of store-bought soup is always a good choice. Improve it even more by adding minced tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro and dill with the stems removed, toasted garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper before heating.

TOMATOES THAT WILL TICKLE YOU

The lycopene that's best released in processed tomato products, such as paste, ketchup and canned soups, is an added nutritional bonus to the wonderful flavor of tomatoes. To store-bought tomato soup before heating, add chopped fresh basil and oregano, caramelized onions and vanilla soymilk for a creamy effect.

TURN UP THE HEAT ON TEMPTING TORTELLINI

Even some "healthy" brands feature tortellini or ravioli in a variety of their soups. To these, add small torn pieces of fresh spinach, the leaves of celery, diced mushrooms and chopped, sauteed garlic before heating.

BEEF UP VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP WITH MORE VEGETABLES

Store-bought vegetable beef soup can be made more vibrant. Before heating, add small chunks of unpeeled sweet potato, zucchini, broccoli, onion, quinoa (the seed that's like whole grain but has quite a bit of protein) and a few dashes of powdered barbecue rub spice.

CREATIVE CORN CHOWDER

Before heating store-bought corn chowder, add thawed frozen or fresh corn kernels, diced red bell pepper, diced chives, diced and seeded jalapeno (that you wear latex gloves to chop, and don't touch your eyes during or afterward), and Cajun seasoning blend. Just before serving, crumble pieces of store-bought or homemade cornbread on top and drizzle with freshly chopped parsley. A variation: Include cooked shrimp stirred in just a minute before heating is complete.

Photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Corn chowder doesn't have to be all-homemade or all-store bought.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "Cooks' Books" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.