Chicken Veggie Soup & Cheese Spread

This was one of the soups I made in the middle of the summer like the sillyhead that I am. It's not fun to eat soup in the summer when you don't have air conditioning. It can get pretty toasty up here in Pennsylvania, believe it or not!

This soup is very customizable. Have some extra veggies lying around? Throw them in! It could only make the soup more nommy!

Chicken-Vegetable Soup
From the Better Homes & Gardens Biggest Book of 30 Minute Meals

Ingredients
1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
12 ounce bag frozen green beans
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
14 ounces chicken broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey (about 8 ounces)
1/4 dry white wine (or chicken broth)
Cracked black pepper

Instructions
1. In a large saucepan cook celery, carrot, and onion in hot butter until tender.

2. In a medium bowl gradually stir the chicken broth into the flour; stir into vegetables in saucepan.

3. Add milk, dried basil (if using), and salt. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 minute more.

2. Stir in chicken, wine and fresh herb (if using). Cook about 2 minutes more or until heated through. Sprinkle individual servings with pepper.

I enjoyed this homey soup with one of my go-to recipes taken from the Hellmann's Mayonnaise website. I've made this cheese spread for a couple of parties and also whenever I feel like showing some love to my toast.

I usually have all of the required ingredients, and I sure love when that works out for a recipe! However, since I don't usually have baguettes running around my kitchen, I cut sliced bread into quarters, spread them with the cheese mixture, and pop them in the oven. They're perfect party-size, and the recipe is customizable for any menu whether Italian, Mexican, or Southern; just change up your cheese and substitute the herbs for whatever herbs or dried pepper you fancy!

Cheese Spread

Ingredients
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I highly recommend mayo made with olive oil!)
1 cup shredded cheese, such as asiago or parmesan
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley, crushed
5 slices of bread, cut into quarters for "mini" toasts

Since I was cooking for myself, I didn't bother cutting bread into mini toasts, I just slapped some spread on a bagel!