Preparation

• Shred the cheese from a block, measure out the sour cream and half and half. Let them all sit out at room temperature.
• Cook and crumble the ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain grease. Remove the ground beef from the pot and set aside.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into thirds. Add to a stock pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add the salt and boil gently for 10-15 minutes until very fork tender. Drain, then gently mash. Add the sour cream and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Whisk in flour and stir, cooking for 1 full minute.
• Add chicken broth in splashes, stirring continuously and loosening any beef remnants from the bottom of the pot.
• Add Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, and sage. Slowly add half and half. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
• Stir in the mashed potatoes until well-combined. Blend until creamy with an immersion blender or in batches with a stand blender.
• Add the ground beef and frozen vegetables, allowing them to heat through for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, gradually sprinkle with shredded cheese and stir until combined. Taste and season with salt/pepper as desired, then serve.