Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

This recipe came from my April/May issue of Cook's Country, which has become my favorite cooking magazine. It's from the Cook's Illustrated people and the recipe's just seem to be more assessable and are recipes that I want to try out. Last night I made this soup since the weather was cooling off, it was creamy, cheesy and good. I served it with some warm crusty bread and a nice salad, which makes a great dinner in our house. I used ground chipotle pepper in my recipe instead of cayenne and topped it with a sprinkle of smoked Spanish paprika for extra color and taste. I will post the recipe as printed in the magazine.

Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stems peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces, florets chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese, plus extra for garnish
Salt and cayenne pepper

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broccoli stems and cook until bright green and just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, increase heat to medium-high and simmer until stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Add florets, cream and nutmeg and simmer until florets are tender, about 5 minutes.
Puree soup in 2 batches in blender until smooth, return to pot and bring to simmer over medium heat. Stir in cheddar until melted and season with salt and cayenne. Serve garnished with extra cheese.
Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat over medium heat until hot, but do not boil or cheese will separate.