"What I say is that, if a fellow really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow."-- A. A. Milne

APPLES AND POTATOES -- Cook Red Delicious apples in butter until soft and add to potatoes before mashing

APPLES, SWEET POTATOES, CARROTS AND PRUNES -- In casserole dish, combine sweet potato chunks, sliced carrots, sliced tart apple, chopped onion, large pitted prunes, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Pat on top a mixture of grated sweet potatoes, a couple of beaten eggs, some wheat germ or fine bread crumbs, grated mild cheddar and top with slices of butter. Cover and bake for an hour, remove cover and bake another hour until top is brown and crisp. Chunks of meat can be added to casserole if desired.

BAKED POTATO SKINS I --Scoop the flesh out of baked potatoes and save for another use. Cut the skins into strips with a very sharp knife or scissors. Butter the skins, season with salt, pepper, and your choice of other flavorings and bake in a hot oven until browned and crisp.

BAKED POTATO SKINS II-- Slice baked potatoes in quarters lengthwise and scoop out pulp. Place skin-side down on oiled baking sheet and bake in very hot oven until crisp. top with Parmesan and chives; mozzarella, basil and tomato; ricotta cheese and slivered almonds; or cheddar cheese and bacon or sausage crumbles.

BATTER -FRIED SWEET POTATOES -- Marinate blanched, peeled, sliced sweet potatoes in honey, brandy and lemon peel mixture for an hour. Dip slices in a batter of flour and light beer then fry until golden.

BLUEBERRY POTATO SALAD -- Blend white wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, basil, pepper and mix with cooked and sliced potatoes. Stir in blueberries, shredded carrots, dice cucumber, scallions and parsley.

BROCCOLI, POTATOES AND CABBAGE-- Steam chopped cabbage, leeks, broccoli and toss in some butter seasoned with mace, salt and pepper. Stir into mashed potatoes and spread in baking pan. Drizzle top with butter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Broil until brown and bubbly. Add ham if desired.

CARAMELIZED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE -- Mix sugar, butter, eggs, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and white raisins and pour over peeled, boiled sweet potatoes. Bake in slow oven for an hour or until caramelized.

CAULIFLOWER, SPINACH AND POTATOES WITH COCONUT MILK -- Boil cauliflower and sliced red potatoes. Puree some cilantro with turmeric and minced serrano chiles in peanut oil. In more peanut oil, stir fry sliced scallions and large bunch of spinach. Remove, then fry the puree in more oil until fragrant and add cauliflower and potatoes. When heated, pour in can of unsweetened coconut milk and add spinach. Boil then simmer for a few minutes, salt as desired, and garnish with more chopped cilantro and scallions. Serve over brown or basmati rice.

CREAMED ONION SOUP -- (Sort of a Vichyssoise) Slowly fry a little cut up bacon and then add sliced leeks and scallions (white parts) sliced onions and minced shallots. Cook until tender, add chicken broth and beef broth and cubed potatoes. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree or leave chunky. Combine sour cream, heavy cream and egg yolks and mixc with a bit of the soup liquid, then add all to the pot. Reheat, but do not boil. Garnish with chives.

FISH AND SWEET POTATO STEW -- Marinate any fish steaks or fillets in garlic, chiles, onion, lime juice, white vinegar, soy sauce and oil for quite a while. Broil, grill or sauté fish until browned then add to hot stew of sautéed onions, red bell pepper, cooked sweet potatoes and mix of marinade and fish or vegetable broth.

FISH CAKES -- Mix together any flaked, cooked white fish, mashed potatoes, onions, parsley, garlic or garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper, beaten egg, milk and bread or cracker crumbs to bind together. Refrigerate mixture for a few hours, then form into cakes, coat with more bread crumbs and fry or bake.

FISH, PEAS, POTATOES AND CREAM OF MUSHROOM STEW -- Simmer together sautéed onions, thin sliced potatoes with skins, frozen peas and cream of mushroom soup, then add pieces of white fish and simmer until done.

GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES -- Mix warm, chopped green beans, cubed cooked potatoes and red onions, with a lemon-thyme vinaigrette dressing.

LEEK AND POTATO HASH -- Cook leek rings and diced potatoes, preferably in bacon fat, until golden, then sprinkle with flour and brown for a few minutes before adding spices, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer about half hour. Add pieces of bacon, if desired.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP -- Sauté sliced leeks and potatoes in butter for a few minutes before adding chicken broth to amply cover. Simmer until vegetables are soft. Process until smooth, cool then mix in heavy cream and chill. To serve, stir in some sour cream and garnish with fresh snipped chives.

LEEKS, CHICKEN AND POTATO -- Brown strips of chicken, add sautéed leeks, pour in some cream of chicken or mushroom soup and milk. Pour mixture into casserole and cover with grated parboiled potatoes and sautéed onion. Bake until golden brown.

MUSHROOMS AND POTATOES -- Pour cream of mushroom soup over potatoes and sliced mushrooms in casserole for a variation on the usual scalloped potatoes.

PEAS AND POTATOES -- Shelled peas and cooked new potatoes tossed with red wine vinegar, yogurt and mint.

POTATO FRITTERS -- Beat egg yolks into mashed potatoes, season and add some nutmeg. When mixture is cool, form into balls on floured board then coat with beaten egg and bread crumbs. Fry in peanut oil or butter and oil until golden.

POTATO PANCAKES -- Mix grated potatoes, finely chopped onions, some flour, an egg and milk to make a stiff batter (rolled oats may also be added). Fry tablespoons of the mixture in oil. You can add grated cheese, fried sausage meat and chopped herbs to the batter. Good served with applesauce and sour cream.

POTATO SALADS: -- Mix mayonnaise with grated hard-cooked eggs, crushed garlic, lemon juice and grated zest, and chopped parsley. Mix into cooled, diced boiled potatoes. Add coarse mustard if desired. -- Make a mayonnaise of egg, lime juice and rind, Dijon-style mustard and olive oil; whisk in honey and white vinegar. Toss dressing with mixture of diced boiled potatoes, diced boiled sweet potatoes or yams, sliced celery, and chopped cooked bacon. -- Toss boiled potato slices or cubes with sesame seeds, minced garlic, ginger root and scallions. Sprinkle with rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. -- Combine cubed boiled potatoes with minced fennel bulb, finely chopped onion and caraway seeds. Add to mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon-style mustard and chill. Before serving stir in salmon roe, if desired, and season. -- Marinate chicken pieces in a mixture of plain yogurt, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and seasoning overnight then coat in bread crumbs and fry. Combine chicken, boiled potato and carrot sticks and sliced scallions; toss with a dressing of white wine vinegar, olive oil, white pepper and Tabasco. -- Toss slices of red potatoes, Kalamata or black olive slices with a dressing of blended and pureed garlic cloves, Feta cheese, red wine vinegar, olive oil and oregano. Garnish with parsley. -- Blend blue cheese, mayonnaise, plain yogurt, lemon juice and toss with boiled red potato pieces, chopped celery, chopped toasted walnuts, chopped dill pickle and celery seeds. -- Add cooled ratatouille to cooked, diced red potatoes that have marinated in a vinaigrette dressing for about a half hour. Add chopped Kalamata or black olives, season, and serve at room temperature with Parmesan cheese.

POTATO WONTONS -- Stuff wonton skins with mixture of mashed potatoes, chives, jalapeno and grated sharp cheddar cheese. Steam and serve with tomato salsa.

POTATOES AND CAPER SAUCE -- Boil unpeeled potatoes with onion, basil, bay leaf, cloves and thyme. Peel and cut up in large pieces and cover with white caper sauce made with shallot, capers and stock, thickened with flour and seasoned well.

POTATOES AND ONIONS -- Place sliced onions and sliced potatoes in saucepan. Add lots of chopped garlic, marjoram, oregano or thyme, some water and olive oil. Season and cover, bring to a quick boil then simmer for about 20 minutes

POTATOES AND TOMATOES -- Sauté onions in casserole with butter and oil; lay sliced potatoes on top and cover with chopped tomatoes. Add bay leaf, garlic, thyme; cover and cook for about an hour, basting often.

POTATOES WITH BLUE CHEESE -- Add crumbled blue cheese and a bit of olive oil to mashed potatoes.

RED POTATOES AND MUSTARD GREENS --- Sauté cooked red potatoes (sliced) and thick sliced mushrooms in butter until mushrooms are tender and potatoes are hot. Add shredded mustard greens and cook until they wilt. (About a minute.) Season to taste.

SCALLOP BISQUE -- Simmer diced potatoes, chopped carrot, onion and celery in chicken broth until tender. Season with thyme and pepper. Cool and puree. Sauté scallops in butter for a minute then add some white wine and almost immediately remove the scallops from the pan. Add in light cream mixed with beaten egg yolk and then the pureed vegetables. Add the scallops and heat thoroughly but don't boil. Garnish with chopped parsley.

SCALLOPED LEEKS -- Simmer sliced potatoes and leeks with milk, bay leaf, garlic, thyme and salt until just tender. In buttered casserole, layer leeks with potatoes and garlic, adding cheese, if desired (gruyere, Fontana, cheddar, gorgonzola). Add milk and dot with butter. Other good additions: artichokes, fennel root, mushrooms. Bake until brown and bubbling.

SOUTH AMERICAN POTATO SALAD -- Cooked and cooled but firm chunked potatoes, beets and carrots, seasoned with chopped onion and celery, vinegar, mayonnaise parsley, salt and pepper. --David Brown, Old Lyme CT

STUFFED POTATOES: -- Stuff large, hollowed out potatoes with grated potato, butter, grated Gruyere cheese, egg yolk and sour cream. Cover with saved potato tops; stand in casserole and pour some melted butter over potatoes. Bake about an hour, basting. Sprinkle with more cheese before serving. -- Stuff baked potato shells with pureed mixture of mashed butternut squash, potato pulp, melted butter, and cumin. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with paprika and broil until browned. -- Stuff baked potato with steamed shrimp, almonds, chives and sour cream, if desired. -- Stuff baked potato with sliced mushrooms, broccoli florets, diced carrots, corn kernels, peas, Monterey Jack cheese or plain yogurt and fresh dill. -- Stuff baked potato with crushed pineapple, unsweetened grated coconut, minced celery, sweet red pepper, curry powder and ground ginger. -- Stuff baked potato with diced tomato, crumbled sausage meat, onions, garlic, basil and thyme. - - Stuff baked potato with uncooked egg. Around edge of potato (or as a bed) spoon mixture of mashed potato pulp, plain yogurt, basil, chives, nutmeg, paprika and thyme. Bake in casserole until eggs are set, about 15 minutes.

SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES -- Sauté apple slices in butter and molasses. Add some molasses, orange juice and peel to mashed sweet potatoes and serve on top of apple slices.

SWEET POTATOES IN SHERRY -- Add butter, brown sugar, light cream and sweet sherry to whipped sweet potatoes and bake in buttered dish until top is brown.

TOMATO POTATO SOUP-- Sauté lots of sliced onions in lots of butter. Add sliced potatoes, chicken broth and some water. Simmer until potatoes are done. Add canned pear tomatoes, paprika, tarragon and a little dry vermouth. Simmer 20 minutes, cool and puree. Stir in light cream and bring back to heat. Garnish with chives or parsley.

WATERCRESS SOUP -- Sauté onions and garlic in butter, add thinly sliced potatoes , salt and pepper. Add water, bring to a boil then reduce and simmer until potatoes are tender. Chop most of a bunch of watercress and add it to the soup with milk and chicken broth. Cook 15 minutes then puree, and return to pot. Stir in a mixture of egg yolks and cream and reheat. Garnish with more of the chopped watercress.

YOGURT STUFFED POTATOES -- Blend chopped scallions, chopped mint, dried dill, plain yogurt, and pulp from steamed or baked potatoes. Fill potato shells and garnish with paprika.