Sarah's Make Ahead Shepherd's Pie

Filling
2 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 lbs ground beef
salt and pepper
5 T All purpose flour
2 T. tomato paste
1 1/2 chicken broth
1/2 c heavy cream
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T Thyme
1 Pound bag peas and carrots

Topping
2 1/2 lb red potatoes, peeled and cut to 2 inch pieces
salt and pepper
6 T butter, melted
2 T cream cheese

Cook onion in butter until clear and soft. Add beef, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. cook about 10 minutes until no longer pink. add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken.

simmer sauce add broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and simmer 6-8 minutes stirring occasionally. remove from heat, transfer to bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.
Cook potatoes with 1 tsp salt and enough water to cover. heat to boil, then reduce heat and cook about 15 minutes or until potatoes ate tender. Drain. transfer to large bowl and mash with butter ands cream cheese. season with salt and pepper. refrigerate until cooled.

Assemble
transfer meat to a 9x13 pan. top evenly with peas and carrots, pressing down gently. Spread potatoes evenly using a plastic spatula. (Spread around edges first, then the center. This seals the top).
Drag fork across the top to make ridges. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap, then cover with foil.
Write recipe name and cooking directions on the foil with a sharpie pen.
Be sure to add "remove plastic wrap and recover with foil".
Freeze for up to a month.

Bake
heat to 425 degrees.
remove plastic wrap and recover with foil. Cook for about 80 minutes. Increase heat to 450, remove foil and bake until top is golden brown.