Do you have any idea what the two most popular fresh veggies are in the United States? Come on, take a guess. Corn and tomatoes are common guesses, but they won't win you the prize. Potatoes and lettuce will, though. Who knew, huh?

We Mainers are definitely serious about our potatoes, aren't we? I have a memory of my paternal grandfather insisting on "spuds" with every meal he ate. It didn't matter what the entree was, the menu had to include potatoes. I remember my mom sending over her pasta with homemade meat sauce to Grampy — with a generous side of mashed potatoes. Talk about weird, huh?

I'd rather have a wonderful potato dish than a slice of chocolate cake, so my "potatoes" section of my recipe files is chockablock full of delicious recipes. I've chosen some of my favorites to share with you this week. Enjoy!

Individual Potato Gratins

2 cups half-and-half

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced, divided use*

2 cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Garnish: sliced green onions (optional)

Combine half and half, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Divide half of sliced potatoes among 24 muffin cups that have been generously coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with cheddar cheese. Divide remain­ing potatoes and add to each muffin cup on top of the cheddar. Slowly pour half-and-half mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15-20 minutes more or until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion, if desired. Yield: 24 gratins/12 servings.

*Use a mandoline or food processor for quick work of making even slices.

POTATO, HAM AND SPINACH FRITTATA

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided use

2 small russet potatoes (about 3/4 lb.), peeled and thinly sliced

1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced

9 large eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 pkgs. (10-oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

8 slices (about 1/2 oz. each) sliced deli ham, cut into 2-inch pieces

Place 2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add potatoes and onion and cook 12-15 minutes stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are tender.

Whisk eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in spinach, cheese, and ham; pour mixture into the skillet and then place in a preheated 400 F oven. Bake 12-14 minutes or until eggs are set. Yield: 4 servings.

TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES

5 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 lbs.), washed and pricked with a knife

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, divided use

4 oz. fresh goat cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Place potatoes on a sheet pan lined with parchment and bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove from oven and let cool: cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh, leaving skin intact to form a shell. Arrange 8 skins in a single layer in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. (Discard remaining 2 skins.) Place potato flesh, 2 Tbsp. butter, goat cheese, salt, and pepper in work bowl of food processor and process for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Add chives and use on/off turns to combine. Spoon mixture into reserved skins.

Combine pecans, panko and the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a small bowl and mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle mixture over sweet potatoes and bake (oven still at 375 F) 10-12 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Yield: 8 servings.

BROCCOLI Potato Soup

4 Tbsp. butter

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 cartons (32-oz. each) chicken stock (or substitute vegetable stock for vegetarian version)

2 cups whole milk

2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups chopped broccoli florets

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, room temperature

Place butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat; when hot, add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour; and cook two minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in chicken stock and milk, stirring until smooth.

Add potatoes, broccoli, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes or until mixture thickens and potatoes are tender. Remove pan from heat: stir in sour cream and cheese, stirring until melted. Yield: 8-10 servings.

CRUMMY POTATOES

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and halved lengthwise

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Combine bread crumbs, paprika, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano in a small shallow bowl or plate. Brush potato halves with melted butter and roll in the bread crumb mixture to coat.

Arrange potato halves in a medium baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray; bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 1 hour or until tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese

and Bread Crumbs

4 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1-1/2 cups grated moz­zarella (buy a fresh ball and grate on large holes of box grater)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided use

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. softened butter

2 Tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water 12-15 minutes or until they are very ten­der. Drain and return the potatoes to the same pot and mash well. Mix in the milk and melted butter. Stir in the mozzarella and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the potatoes to a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish coated with the 1 Tbsp. of butter. Combine bread crumbs and the remain­ing 1/4 cup of Parmesan in a small bowl and stir to blend; sprinkle mixture over the mashed potatoes and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Yield: 6-8 servings.