Crockpot appetizers like this warm artichoke spinach dip can be successfully used for festive dinners and parties, because they are very tasty and easy to prepare. Serving dips at parties is also easy, because all you need to do is provide your guests some nice dipping "materials" such as tortilla chips or raw veggies sticks and you're done.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, drained and cut small
• 8 ounces artichoke hearts (preferably canned; marinated or not, at your choice), chopped small
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (many thanks to Ryan for noticing I missed this from the list)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated or minced very small
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper as needed

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2.5 - 3 hours

Serves: 10

Cooking procedure:

Put the cream cheese together with the cream in the slow cooker, set it on low and let the cheese slowly melt. This would probably take between one and two hours. Cut the cream cheese in cubes before putting it into the slow cooker, so you can speed up the melting a little bit. After the cheese has melted, add the other ingredients, stir gently, then cover the food and let it cook for one more hour, with the slow cooker set on low. When finished, pour it into a nice bowl, spread some grated Parmesan cheese or breadcrumbs on top of it and serve it hot.

Use raw vegetables, toast bread, sliced and toasted pita bread or salty crackers for dipping. Optionally, you can serve the dip with diced tomatoes or with fresh parsley leaves cut very small. If yuo want, you can replace the parsley with minced dill, but make sure not to use too much, because dill has a very strong taste which can cover other tastes, so the food won't be what you expected anymore.