Choose a favorite meat, fish or poultry, then serve one of the following side dishes and a dessert.

Tomato salad (4 servings)

4 or 5 fully ripe red tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 or 3 large garlic cloves, minced

A handful of fresh basil, chopped coarsely

About one-quarter cup cider vinegar

About three-quarters cup vegetable or olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place prepared tomatoes in a serving dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the garlic, basil, vinegar and oil. Pour over

tomatoes.

Season to taste.

This should sit at room temperature for at least a half-hour before serving.

Potatoes and tomatoes (6 servings)

5 or 6 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

16 ounces home-canned tomatoes, cut up, with juice

2 or 3 cups water

2 or 3 tablespoons flour

One-half teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Cook prepared potatoes in 2 or 3 cups salted water until almost done

(about 10 minutes).

Stir in jar of cut-up canned tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Remove about a half-cup of the tomato/water from the pan and stir in the flour.

Return to the pan. Stir in salt, pepper and sugar, if using. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Butternut squash and apples (4 servings)

5 apples, peeled and sliced

1 large butternut squash, peeled and steamed or boiled until soft, then

mashed

One-half cup honey

Juice of one-half lemon

2 or 3 tablespoons butter or butter substitute

Sprinkling of nutmeg

Grease a round, 2 quart casserole dish with butter or vegetable spray.

Pile in the mashed squash. Top with apple slices.

Combine the honey and lemon juice and pour over the squash and apples.

Dot with butter and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake at 350 degrees until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.

Blackberry pudding (6-8 servings)

1 and one-half cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Half-teaspoon salt

Half-cup sugar

Half-cup milk

2 tablespoons melted shortening

Topping:

2 cups fresh blackberries

1 and one-quarter cups hot water

Three-quarters cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter or butter substitute

For the pudding, combine the milk and shortening with the flour, baking powder, salt, and one-half cup sugar.

Spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole dish.

Top with fresh berries.

In a saucepan, bring to a boil the three-quarters cup sugar, hot water

and butter.

Pour over berries.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serve warm with or without cream.

More recipies for dishes made with Maine foods can be found at: www.getrealmaine.com click on the, “visit” tab on the top of the page and then click on the “recipies” tab on the left side of the page. The site, operated by the Maine Department of Agriculture, also includes a host of information on finding Maine farms and Maine foods locally.

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