Light Cream of Celery Soup

This recipe is from the Mollie Katzen Soup Cook Book. I have made very little changes to the recipe, but as always with Mollie Katzen recipes much is left up to the cook. This recipe is light both in flavor and in calories.

2 medium sized baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups celery, chopped into 1-inch chunks (you will need an additional cup later)
3 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup onion, minced finely
1 cup celery, minced finely (the inner stalks work well for this)
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup 1% Milk, warmed
pepper to taste
4 tablespoons light sour cream (please note you may use heavy cream or half-n-half, but I used sour cream and the soup was fine)

1. Place potatoes, 4 cups of large chunked celery, water and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Carefully transfer to a blender and puree. Please use caution as blending hot foods can be hazardous. Once pureed, transfer to a large stock pot.
2. Melt the butter in a small skillet, add the onion, finely chopped celery, and the celery seed. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add to the puree.
3. Stir in the milk into the puree until incorporated. Then add the sour cream one tablespoon at a time using a whisk to properly blend it into the soup.
4. Serve warm and enjoy!

Serves 8, 1 cup servings. 88 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber