A WORD ON WHAT GOES IN WURSTS

Our Lexie turned 4 years old last Saturday, and we celebrated in the normal fashion with lots of family and friends. She really figured out what birthday parties are all about this year. Last year, she was done after she opened the first gift. This year she knew that with package there was a new surprise awaiting her. We are so thankful for her and cherish each new day with her.

Last week, there was a question about the difference between bratwurst and liverwurst. I had pulled out a book to read about each of them when Richard Esicar of Cape Girardeau called me. He has a plethora of information on sausages. At their Esicar's Old Hickory Smokehouse in Cape Girardeau, they have been making high-quality smoked meats since 1934. He educated me on the fact that "wurst" means sausage in German.

So whatever prefix you put in front of the wurst is what it is made of.

Of course, good wurst of any kind contains only the finest ingredients without any fillers, which is truly German. Bratwurst is made of pure pork and contains no beef. It has a German blend of spices, with quite a lot of salt and pepper. Liverwurst is made of ground pork liver, onions and seasonings. Both are put into a casing for preservation. In talking with Richard Esicar, I learned there are literally thousands of wursts and that more than 1,500 varieties come from Germany.

I hope this answered your questions and if you would like more information, stop by and visit with the boys in Esicar's; you will learn much from them.

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Linda Bollinger of Cape Girardeau shares a recipe for baked potato soup.

Use your imagination to top this soup with your favorite ingredients.

She uses bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions.

Baked Potato Soup

1 medium bulb garlic, kept whole

6 large baking potatoes

4 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Toppings of your choice

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/4-inch from the top of the garlic. Wrap whole bulb in foil. Put garlic and cleaned potatoes in oven. Bake garlic for 45 minutes or until soft when squeezed. Remove garlic and let the potatoes finish cooking until tender, about 15 minutes. Unwrap garlic and squeeze pulp from bulb into a 4-quart pot. Peel 3 of the hot potatoes, add the garlic in pot and mash until nearly smooth. Gradually stir in chicken broth and pepper until blended. Place over medium heat and cook until hot, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cut remaining potatoes with the skin in 3/4-inch pieces. Stir into soup and cook until heated through. Serve with your favorite toppings, such as crumbled crisp cooked bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions.

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Last week, we had a request for pineapple pie recipes from Sandy Riehn of Cape Girardeau. Another pineapple lover from McClure, Ill., has several pineapple recipes she would like to share with Sandy and other readers.

Pineapple Meringue Pie

Prebaked 9-inch pie shell

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups canned crushed pineapple, drained

1 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Meringue for topping

Prepare the prebaked pie shell; cool completely. In the top of a double boiler, combine the cornstarch, sugar, and pineapple. Set over simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cool the filling, then pour into the pie shell.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your favorite meringue. Spread the meringue over the filling, sealing it to the edge of the crust. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Pineapple Cream Pie

Prebaked 9-inch pie shell

2 cups milk, scalded

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 cup coarsely chopped canned pineapple, drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Meringue topping, if desired

Prepare the prebaked pie shell; cool completely. Over a very low heat or over the top of a double boiler, combine 1/2 cup of the hot milk with the sugar and flour. Add the remaining milk to the mixture in the double boiler and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes or until thickened.

Stir a small amount of the hot custard into the egg yolks. Combine the egg yolk mixture with the mixture in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes more.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pineapple and lemon juice. Turn the filling into the pie shell. Prepare you favorite meringue, if desired, and top the hot filling with the meringue, sealing the edges well to the crust. Bake about 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool. Chill before serving.

Sandy was also looking for an applesauce pie recipe. This next recipe can either served as written, or topped with meringue and baked until golden brown.

Applesauce Pie

Pastry for a 9-inch single crust pie

2 cups unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Prepare piecrust and line a 9-inch pie pan. Combine the applesauce, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until foamy.

Stir in the milk. Combine the egg mixture with the applesauce mixture.

Add the melted butter, lemon juice and lemon zest. Turn the filling into the crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 35 minutes more. Remove the pie from the oven. If you desire to top with meringue, do so while the pie is still hot and bake until golden brown.

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A Cape Girardeau reader wrote asking about an article that appeared in the Southeast Missourian Newspaper regarding a recipe from the Cape Senior Center's cookbook, River City Recipes. A recipe had been selected to appear in the 2000 Hometown Collection of America's Best Recipes book. That recipe is dilled pea salad and yes, the books are still available at the Senior Center. The original recipe was submitted by Joan Weeks of Cape Girardeau. It is very good. I made the salad recently for Amber Larson's birthday supper and she loved it, too.

Dilled Pea Salad

1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream

4 teaspoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons green onions, sliced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon dill weed, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen tiny baby peas, thawed

Combine all ingredients together. Chill. You may wish to garnish with shredded cheese. Serves about 6.

There were no requests for this week so I will close and wish you a happy and safe week. And of course, happy cooking.