Leftover stew makes a perfect quick Shepherd's Pie. Simply pour the stew into the baking dish and cover with the topping of choice. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and hot.

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

• Sauté ground meat in olive oil until cooked through and browned. Transfer meat to baking dish. Add 1 more tablespoon oil to pan if needed and sauté garlic, onion, red pepper, and mushrooms until tender, 4 or 5 minutes. Spoon over meat in baking dish.

• Pour off excess oil from pan. Melt butter and add flour to form a roux. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes over medium-high heat. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring to keep smooth. Cook until bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over meat and vegetables.

• Roll out pastry crust to fit over casserole dish. Crimp edges to seal. Prick with a fork to allow steam to escape. Bake until crust is well browned, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Savory Pie Toppings

There are so many toppings for a pot pie. The traditional pastry crust is used in this recipe. Other topping choices include mashed potatoes, puff pastry, buttered bread crumbs, and phyllo dough. Biscuit dough makes a good topping, too. Try Buttermilk Biscuits (page 260) or Dropped Herbed Rolls (page 260).