Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

1. Peel and quarter potatoes and place them into a large pot filled with cold water.
2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and boil for 25-35 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
3. Remove from heat and drain water.
4. Add butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
5. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until ingredients are well combined and potatoes are smooth and creamy.
6. Place mashed potatoes into a 9×9 baking dish and intentionally keep the surface of the potatoes bumpy and uneven.
7. At this point, cover the baking dish place the potatoes into the refrigerator until ready to bake.
8. To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake potatoes uncovered for 35 minutes. The uneven surface of the potatoes allows for beautifully browned peaks of mashed potatoes — my favorite part!

Pot Roast and Gravy

1. Place chuck roast in slow cooker. Combine beef stock and Worcestershire and pour over roast.
2. Sprinkle the top of the roast with montreal steak seasoning, and top with fresh thyme.
3. Cook on high for 2 hours, and then switch to low for 6 more hours.
4. Before serving, remove woody stems from thyme sprigs and remove roast from slow cooker and break apart into large sections to remove fat.
5. To make gravy, pour remaining liquid from the slow cooker through a strainer into a medium saucepan on low heat. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and flour until the milk is thickened but smooth.
6. Slowly whisk the milk into the drippings, and bring to a low boil, whisking frequently until it has thickened to the consistency you prefer.