Maine - The Pine Tree State, State flower: White Pine Cone and Tassel

1. Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Salad
2. Lobster Stew (As Soup)
3. Baked Flounder with Minced Clams
4. Zucchini - Potato Casserole
5. Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
6. Down East Blueberry Pie

Zucchini - Potato Casserole - Serves 6

4 medium zucchini
3 medium new potatoes
¼ cup minced parsley
4 or 5 large fresh basil leaves, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup Vermont cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350º.

Wash zucchini and slice 1/8" thick. Peel and slice potatoes as thin as possible. (The Mandoline 2000 is excellent for this task.) Mash herbs and garlic to a paste. Butter a 1-½ to 2 quart casserole. Make a layer of zucchini slices, sprinkle with some cheese, bread crumbs, dots of butter and a little of the garlic herb mixture; add a little salt and pepper. Make a layer of sliced potatoes and sprinkle with cheese, bread crumbs, garlic herb mixture, salt and pepper. Continue in alternating layers until all is used up, ending with the last of crumbs, cheese and butter. Sprinkle with about 3 Tbsp water and dribble olive oil over the top. Cover and bake for 1-½ hours. Remove cover after one hour and 10 minutes so the top browns.

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