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1
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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2
For the topping, put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
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3
Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and a fork inserted into the center meets little resistance, 15 to 20 minutes.
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4
Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan set over low heat.
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5
Mash the potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher.
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6
Fold in the butter until melted, then stir in the warm cream and cheese.
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7
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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8
Cover the pan and set aside.
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9
For the filling, season the beef with salt and pepper.
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10
Cook the beef in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet set over medium heat, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until it is browned thoroughly, about 10 minutes.
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11
Drain the beef, discarding all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat, and set aside.
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12
Heat the 1 tablespoon of reserved beef fat in the same skillet set over medium heat until shimmering.
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13
Add the onion, carrot, and salt, and cook until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
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14
Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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15
Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked, about 1 minute.
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16
Slowly stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
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17
Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until the sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
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18
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the reserved cooked beef, the corn, and peas, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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19
Pour the filling into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, smoothing it into an even layer.
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20
Dollop the potato topping evenly over the filling, then spread it into an even layer.
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21
Bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
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22
Adding warmed cream, versus cold, to the potatoes will keep them from becoming gummy.
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23
Sandy learned this great tip while working at Jeffreys, a restaurant in Austin, and ever since, shes had a much improved relationship with mashed potatoes.
