Crock Pot Conundrum

My very best friend asked me the other day for crock pot ideas. I did not own one but thought hm., her reasons for using it make so much sense. Dinner ready before your family wakes up? Dinner ready when you walk in from work? Dinner ready when your kids come home school/sports/activities and are ravenous? So off I went and bought one...
Slow Cooked Pot Roast with Mustard and Horseradish Gravy from Fine Cooking Mag sounded like a great start. I did not make the gravy because I did not get to the store to buy more horseradish and I must say, you need this, so make sure you have horseradish!!!
2 Carrots; 1 med onion, quartered; 3 cloves of smashed garlic; 3 sprigs of thyme; 1 bay leaf; 3 whole cloves; 1 c stock; 1c white wine; 2 Tomato paste (used salsa, alas ran out of t paste too; 1 boneless beef chuck roast (2.5-3lbs) 2 T olive oil s&p.
Put the carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cloves in the bottom of the slow cooker crock. Whisk wine, stock and paste together. Put your heavy skillet on the burner and turn it to almost high. Rub oil all over the roast and then sprinkle generously with the s&p. Sear it until a dark crust forms on all sides. 5 mins total.
Reduce the heat and put the roast on top of the veggies in the crock. To the hot pan add the broth and scrape the bottom while bringing it to the simmer. Then pour over the roast. Turn the slow cooker to LOW and cook without lifting the lid for 9hours.
When fall apart tender lift the roast to a plate and then strain the cooking liquid. You can pitch the veggies. For the gravy: Pour the strained liquid in to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it reduce by half, ten mins. Then whisk in 2T brandy; 1/2t horseradish and 1/2t grainy mustard.In a small bowl mix 2T sour cream and 1t flour.Whisk a little of this to the hot mustard and then slowly add all of it.
Pour gravy on top of the sliced beef with potatoes and brocoli, easy and filling!!!