Creamy Zucchini Soup

All vegetable gardeners have the same issue: What do you do with all the veggies when they start to ripen at the same time? How many zucchinis can one person eat? I've had a bunch of great big ones. They aren't the best for eating whole. You have to scoop out the seeds in the middle that have gotten too big to eat. So far I've made stuffed zucchini and zucchini pancakes. Next on the list, yummy, creamy zucchini soup!

Creamy Zucchini Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 very large or 2-3 medium-sized zucchinis
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
Fresh herbs such as dill, chives, tarragon, thyme whatever
2 oz. of low fat cream cheese

1) Chop up the zucchini into chunks. If it is as large as the one I used, scoop out the seeds from the center. Discard. Add zucchini, stock, onions, and herbs to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 15-20 minutes.

2) Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Carefully scoop the soup into a blender so it is only about half full. Puree well. It may take several batches to do the entire mixture. 




3) Return the pureed soup to the heat stove over low heat. Add 2 oz cream cheese and stir occasionally until the cheese is completely melted and incorporated.

4) Serve. It is creamy and flavorful. It can be served warm or room temperature. It is a wonderful summer dish with a fresh salad and a sandwich.