Soupalooza: Garnishes push soup from simple dinner to spectacular meal

We have entered the fancy season. With the holidays approaching and guests arriving, everything needs a little extra joosh — and that includes something as simple as soup. So whether you are serving your out-of-town guests a leftover turkey sandwich with a simple cup of mushroom soup or you've decided to start your meal with a festive tureen of chestnut potage, think about how you are going to garnish your creation.

Garnishes are not only pretty, they add flavor to the soup and amp up the meal. A little extra touch can turn the simplest meal into something special — a perfect solution when time is short and expectations are high.

Here are some of my favorite soup garnishes, but don't stop there. Use your imagination and whatever you have on hand to take your soup to the next level.

Baby grilled cheese sandwiches. What's not to love about baby grilled cheese sandwiches? Genius, I say! Just take four slices thick-cut good-quality white bread and four slices deli-cut (on the thicker-side) sharp yellow cheddar. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange a cooling rack over a baking sheet and assemble two cheese sandwiches using two bread slices and two slices cheese per sandwich. Cube each sandwich into 9 mini-sandwiches and separate on a baking sheet providing space between each mini-sandwich. Coat the sides and tops of each sandwich with cooking spray. Bake in the hot oven until golden and cheese melts. Float a few sandwich-croutons in each bowl of soup. This, of course, works perfectly with tomato soup, canned or homemade.

Pie dough scraps. If you are already making a pie and have leftover dough, simply roll it out and use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cutouts on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes. They make a really pretty and tasty garnish floating on the top of a creamy soup. Be creative with the shapes.

Roasted vegetables. Chop any leftover roasted veggies you may have and use them to top your soup. Try contrasting the colors. The veggies add a little bit of color and a nice bit of crunch and nobody can complain about the extra calories.

Roasted chickpeas. These are the perfect garnish for a Mediterranean-influenced soup, perhaps carrot soup flavored with lemon or tahini. Take a can of chickpeas, drain them and pat them down with paper towels. Toss them with one tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon of course salt and ¼ teaspoon of cumin. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven until browned and crisp. Toss them a few times while baking to make sure they are evenly cooked. You might also want to serve the soup with toasted pita bread.

Caramelized onions. When you are making caramelized onions for your green bean casserole, make an extra batch for your soup. It adds a nice sweet crunchiness and works perfectly with a cream based soup. Think cream of parsnip or cauliflower. The onions would be the perfect accent.

Popcorn. Yes, popcorn. It adds a nice crunch to creamy cheese-based soups. Try it on a corn soup or on a cheddar beer soup. If you really want to spice things up, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the popcorn before topping the soup.

Cheese. Well, it goes without saying that cheese is a natural addition to soup. But think beyond cheddar and experiment. Crumbled feta is a great addition, especially on a nice minestrone or vegetable soup. Or try making cheese crisps. Simply take ½ cup grated parmesan, cheddar, or manchego cheese (about 2 ounces). Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form about 1 tablespoon of the cheese into a thin circle on the parchment paper; repeat with the remaining cheese, leaving 2 inches between circles. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and lacy, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet. They are the perfect addition to lentil soup — if they make it that far.

Toasted pumpkin seeds. These are perfect on top of a squash or pumpkin soup, but they also work with black bean soup.

Sour cream. This, of course, is the ultimate soup add-on. After all, what doesn't taste better with sour cream? If you want to fancy it up, simply add lime juice, cilantro and a pinch of sugar and call it crema! This would be an excellent addition on any Mexican flavored soup such as black bean, chicken tortilla or corn soup.

Spicy candied walnuts or pecans. Not just for salads or snacks, spicy nuts add a nice crunch to soups. Again, they would be perfect with a squash or pumpkin soup.

Pesto croutons. Toss 2 cups cubed bread with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 3 tablespoons pesto (store bought works fine). Set oven to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes. These are delicious on just about any kind of soup but they will take your minestrone over the top.

Marinated cranberries. This is my personal favorite. Take dried cranberries (or cherries) and soak them in sherry. The combo adds a real pop of flavor and a beautiful color to a squash or pumpkin soup.

• M. Eileen Brown is the Daily Herald's director of strategic marketing and innovation, and an incurable soup-a-holic. She specializes in vegetarian soups and blogs at soupalooza.com.