Eating homemade soup, the kind made by your mom or your nana, is a wise move in light of repeated warnings about BPA levels in the lining of canned foods. If you’re cooking-challenged but love soup, a little practice and time spent in the kitchen will make you an expert. Hot soups come down to four basic elements: boil, simmer, season and taste. Everything after that is embellishment. Rather than worry about murky substances, try these five classic recipes that take the guesswork out of making soup. (Text: Enrique Gili)