When the lazy days of summer come to an end, fall schedules (including harvest season!) kick into high gear. Make your weeknights a little easier by stocking your refrigerator and freezer with hearty meals ready to serve in a flash. Here, Minnesota-based food blogger Brenda Score (afarmgirlsdabbles.com) shares three recipes that you’ll want to make all season long.

Beef Pot Pie
Serves 6-8
For the Filling

overhead photo of beef pot pie in caserole dish2 Tbsp. olive oil1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into medium-sized chunksSalt and pepper
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 ounces cremini mushrooms
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups stout beer
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups low-sodium beef broth

For the Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 ½ sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
5-6 Tbsp. ice water
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. milk

For the filling:
  1. In a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with a lid), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the beef stew meat with salt and pepper, then add it to the skillet. Brown the meat on all sides. 
  2. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots and diced potatoes to the pot. Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes, until they just begin to soften. 
  3. Add the cremini mushrooms to the pot and cook for another 3 minutes. 
  4. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. 
  5. Slowly pour in the stout beer while stirring constantly. This will help deglaze the pot and create a flavorful gravy. Let simmer for 10 minutes. 
  6. Add the paprika, Italian seasoning and white pepper to the pot and give everything a good stir. Let simmer for another 10 minutes.
  7. Pour in the beef broth and stir well. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then cover and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes on the stovetop. 
  8. Remove the lid and stir in the peas. Let simmer 10 minutes to warm the peas and thicken the mixture slightly. 
  9. Mix the flour with a few spoons of water and add it to the meat and vegetables. Stir vigorously to combine and thicken. Taste test and add more salt and pepper, if desired. 
  10. Remove the pot from the stovetop. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish (or similar-sized oval dish) with nonstick spray, then transfer the hot beef stew filling to it. Let the filling cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare the pie crust. 
  11. For the pie crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
  12. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. 
  13. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers to incorporate butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
  14. Drizzle a few tablespoons of ice water over the crumbs, adding more if needed, until you can gather the mixture altogether with your hands to form a mound of dough. 
  15. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface, to a size and shape that fits the baking dish. Place it over the cooled filling. You can either cover the entire pie crust or create a lattice pattern.
  16. Trim away any excess crust, then crimp the edges against the baking dish to seal the pie. Make a few small slits in the crust to allow steam to escape during baking. 
  17. Mix the egg yolk and milk together, the brush then surface of the pie crust with the egg wash. 
  18. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. 
  19. Remove from the oven and let pie cool slightly before serving.

Ready: Use sirloin steak, beef chuck roast or lamb in place of the stew meat.
Set: Use a store-bought pie crust to save some time.
Go! This pie can be made in advance. Keep it in the refrigerator and reheat it when you’re ready for dinner. Or, make the pie and freeze it.