Wash hands with soap and water. Wash and dry the mushrooms and potatoes. Peel and dice the onion and chop the mushrooms.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel and dice the potatoes, cook until tender, and drain. Add 3 tbs of butter (or olive oil for dairy-free), ½ cup milk (or alternative), and season with salt and pepper. Mash well and keep warm.

Heat 1 tbs butter (or olive oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and mushrooms until tender. Remove to a bowl and return the pan to the heat.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 lb ground beef, half the mushrooms and onion, 1 egg (optional), the breadcrumbs (optional), and 2 tbs catsup. Form into 4 patties (always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat). Brown the patties for a couple of minutes on each side (they won’t be cooked through yet).

Prepare gravy according to package instructions. Add to the pan along with the remaining onions and mushrooms. Turn the heat to a low simmer and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the Salisbury steaks are cooked through (stir in a little water if the gravy is too dry).

Serve mashed potatoes topped with salisbury steaks and gravy. This recipe makes 4 servings. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.