Cream Of Spinach And Artichoke Soup My Way - cooking recipe

Ingredients

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
3 small red potatoes
13 2/3 ounces artichoke hearts (from a can or tin)
4 cups chicken stock (2 cans college brand)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 scallions or 1 leek
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup idaho potato flakes
1/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup baby carrots
1 tablespoon cilantro leaf, cleaned and chopped up
4 ounces laughing cow swiss cheese, 4 wedges
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated

Preparation

Clean potatoes (leave the skin on), cut into small pieces, par-boil (don't overcook), and then set aside.
For the artichokes drain and squeeze out excess water, cut in half, sprinkle with cinnamon and set aside.
Cut baby carrots into small round pieces and set aside.
Clean scallions or leek, chop and set aside.
INSTRUCTIONS.
Line a metal pan with aluminum foil (for an easy clean-up), add melted butter or margarine and olive oil, add potatoes & artichokes (toss), roast in an oven until tops of vegetables are brown, turn vegetables and brown other side, set aside.
Place frozen spinach in a large pot and cook according to package instructions (add a little water as needed).
Using a hand blender/chopper, chop the cooked spinach a little more (does not have to be finely chopped/pureed).
Add chicken stock, butter or margarine, garlic, carrots, leek (if used) and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the potato flakes, heavy cream, nutmeg and cook on low heat for about another 3 minutes, stir often.
Place soup in individual bowls, then add roasted potato & artichokes on top, sprinkle with scallions (if used) and cilantro.
Enjoy!
NOTE.
You can roast any number of vegetables to your liking, as a topping for this soup. Also, you might want to have on the side a bowl of sour cream for guests/family to add to their individual bowels. Plus some warm pita bread or a hard pumpernickel bread would be real nice as well.