Soup is a food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat, vegetables or legumes in stock or hot water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally, soups are classified into two broad groups: clear soups and thick soups. The established French classifications of clear soups are bouillon and consommé. Thick soups are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used: purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch; bisques are made from puréed shellfish thickened with cream; cream soups are thickened with béchamel sauce; and veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter and cream. Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice, flour, and grain.One of the first types of soups can be dated to about 6000 B.C. and was made of hippopotamus or the hearts of 5 sparrows. Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers (which probably came in the form of pouches made of clay or animal skin) about 9,000 years ago.

The name of this recipe says "salad", but this is really filling enough to be a main course. Grilled polenta that is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, meaty marinated grilled portobellos, caramelized grilled red onions, salty and crispy prosciutto, and tangy Pamigiano-Reggiano over a bed of arugula combine to make one great meal.

Something to counter all those top 10 lists. Every year produces great music and a nearly equal amount of terrible music. Then there's the not-so-creamy middle, the albums that have no real reason to exist, but nonetheless find their way to music-store shelves and online music stores.

Pita chips and creamy feta and red onion dip recipe

You know, until last week, spicy brown mustards have never been a favorite of mine. When Grey Poupon debuted their new Hearty Spicy Brown Mustard, I had to try it so I could write an accurate post. It was love at first spicy, creamy, onion infused spoonful. This is a �wow� mustard.

A sample from the Blue Ribbon Recipes eBook