Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup

Blanch broccoli and carrots before starting anything else. To do so, chop broccoli up and shred the carrots. Set aside a moment. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and carrots, let it cook until broccoli becomes a bright green. Take off the heat, and strain. In a soup pot or pasta pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until onions are opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic, stirring until for bought 30 seconds. Don't burn the garlic or it will have a bitter taste. Add flour and cook, stirring until flour is absorbed into a roux-type mixture with the onion and garlic. Don't burn the flour. Slowly add the broth or stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the blanched, drained broccoli and carrots, cook and stir about 10 minutes, until broccoli is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion wand / blender until the thickness you desire. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a blender or food processor and puree in small batches. Pour soup back into the pot, add cream and bring to a bare simmer to heat through. Add most or all of the cheese, reserving an eighth for garnish if desired, and cook over low heat, stirring until cheese is melted. Remove pot from the heat and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup, if desired, and serve immediately. Enjoy!