📖 Instructions

1. First things first, grab your 6-quart slow cooker. Make sure it's clean and ready to go! It's the star of this show.
2. Next, finely chop 1 medium onion and 2 cloves of garlic. I like using a sharp chef's knife but you can totally use a food processor if that's your jam.
3. Now, grab those 2 medium russet potatoes. Peel and dice them into roughly 1-inch cubes. We want them to get nice and soft in the slow cooker.
4. In the slow cooker, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Then, sauté the chopped onion and garlic for about 3-5 minutes, until they're softened and fragrant. Mmm, smells delicious already!
5. Time to add the potatoes! Toss them into the slow cooker with the onions and garlic. Stir everything together gently.
6. Add 1 (10 ounce) package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained REALLY well – nobody likes a watery stew!). If you're using fresh spinach, just make sure you've washed and chopped it finely.
7. Stir in 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped. The bigger the chunks, the more texture you get!
8. Don't forget the seasoning! Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder. You could always add more to taste later, too.
9. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version). Give it all a good stir.
10. Now for the creamy part! Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese. Make sure it's cut into smaller pieces so it melts easily into the broth. Yumm!
11. Now it's slow cooker time! Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are incredibly tender and easily mashed with a fork.
12. Once the stew is cooked, taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. If you want it creamier, I'd add a splash more cream or milk. (I'm not judging, if that's your taste!)
13. Finally, give it a good stir and serve hot! I love serving mine with a crusty bread for dipping – it's like a magical combination of flavors and textures!
14. There you have it. A comforting, creamy spinach and artichoke stew that’s made in the slow cooker. So much easier than you might think, right?