Dredge the short ribs in the flour and reserve 1 Tbsp. of the flour.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot and brown the meat in a single layer, flipping once or twice, until almost cooked through, 6-8 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions and 1 Tbsp. flour. Saut? the onions for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown.

Return the meat to the pot and add the broth, tomato sauce, wine or juice, Worcestershire, salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 ? 60 minutes.

Add the carrots, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes more, until the meat and vegetables are tender.

For slow cooker directions, place the carrots in the slow cooker. Dredge the meat in the flour and reserve 1 Tbsp. Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet and brown the meat. Remove the meat from the pan and add it to the slow cooker.

Add the onions and 1 Tbsp. flour to the skillet. Saut? for 5 minutes until the onion starts to brown, then transfer to the slow cooker.

Add 2 cups broth or 1 cup broth and 1 cup water, tomato sauce, wine or juice, Worcestershire, and thyme to the skillet and warm through, scraping up the brown bits. Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.

Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. Add extra broth or water during cooking if too thick.

For whipped potato ghosts, bring a pot of water to a boil. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces, add to boiling water with garlic and 1 tsp. salt, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until fork tender.

Drain potatoes and garlic, return to pot over medium heat to dry. Transfer to a bowl, add butter, milk, thyme, and remaining salt. Beat until smooth.

Transfer whipped potatoes to a plastic bag, snip corner, and squeeze out for ghost shapes. Decorate with peppercorns, seeds, or pieces of olives or carrots.