003: MASHED POTATO BAKE + MUSHROOM GRAVY

🥔 Mashed Potato Bake with Mushroom Gravy — The Pillar of Comfort

Series: The $25 Thanksgiving Feast • Archetype: The Hearth Guardian — strength through softness.

💡 Why This Works

Mashed potatoes hold the soul of comfort food. Baking them adds a golden crust; mushroom gravy brings deep, earthy balance. Together, they’re abundance without extravagance.

⚡ Energy & Time

• Total: 45–50 min • Active: 20 min
• Effort: Medium (RPE 5/10)
• Cost: ≈ $4.00 for 4 servings (~$1.00 each)*
• Gear: Pot, skillet, oven dish

🥣 What It Is

Creamy mashed potatoes baked until golden and topped with silky mushroom gravy — savory, grounding, and deeply satisfying.

🧾 Ingredients (serves 4)

• Potato Base: 4 medium potatoes, peeled & chopped
• 2 tbsp butter or oil • 1/4 cup milk (plant-based ok)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Gravy: 1 cup sliced mushrooms • 1 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 tbsp flour • 1 cup water or broth • 1 tsp soy sauce • 1/2 tsp thyme

✍️ Method

1. Boil: Cook potatoes in salted water 12–15 min until tender. Drain.
2. Mash: Add butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Mash smooth and fluffy.
3. Bake: Spread in a small dish, drizzle a bit of oil, and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 15–20 min until lightly golden.
4. Gravy: In skillet, sauté mushrooms in oil until browned. Add flour; cook 1 min. Gradually whisk in broth/water, soy, and thyme. Simmer 3–4 min until thick.
5. Serve: Pour gravy over baked potatoes; top with herbs or cracked pepper.

🌿 Maker’s Notes

• Ultra-rich: Stir in a spoon of cream cheese before baking.
• Vegan: Use oil + oat milk + coconut oil for butter.
• For texture: Top with breadcrumbs or caramelized onions before baking.

📦 Storage

• Fridge 3–4 days; reheat with splash of milk for moisture.

📜 Lore

Every feast needs its foundation — the dish that doesn’t compete, just holds everything together. This is that anchor: soft, reliable, and rich with quiet grace.

🧭 Self-Score to 100

• Flavor: 20/20
• Ease: 20/20
• Cost Efficiency: 20/20
• Comfort Factor: 20/20
• Mythic Resonance: 20/20

Total: 100/100 — Hearth-born harmony.

*Cost based on budget US pricing; adjust by region.