Lunch: Speedy Shepherd's Pie

Recipe by Robin Bashinsky Making the most of supermarket convenience items gets this family favorite on the table in a flash. Precut matchstick carrots are easier to chop into small pieces quickly, and using prepared mashed potatoes for the topping is a

Ingredients

1 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots, finely chopped
1 cup prechopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
1 cup unsalted beef stock, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
1 (24-ounce) package prepared mashed potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes)
2 tablespoons freeze-dried onion
1/2 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500 °.
Place beef in a large skillet over high heat; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add carrot, onion, and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 30 seconds. Combine 1/4 cup stock and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture, remaining 3/4 cup stock, Worcestershire, pepper, and salt to pan. Stir in peas. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Place beef mixture in a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Top evenly with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle freeze-dried onions and paprika over potatoes. Bake at 500 ° for 5 minutes.