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I am a life-long Phillies fan. I have loved our boys in red and white ever since I went to my first baseball game. My father took my sister Sandy and me to Connie Mack Stadium on warm summer evenings to watch the home team clobber the Cubs.
Our new neighbors from Connecticut are die-hard Phillies fans. I decided to throw a party so we could watch the game in style.
Raw vegetables and an assortment of dips make great baseball fare. I also like a build-your-own-hoagie bar with lots of different fillings. I am very picky about hoagies: the ingredients must be top quality and a number of them must be imported from Italy.
Hot dogs are the all-American ballpark nosh. It’s easy to make your own pigs-in-a-blanket. Just use refrigerated crescent roll dough. Open the dough and separate into triangles, then wrap around each hot dog. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven according to the package directions. The dough will become slightly crisp and golden brown. I also like baked beans with hot dogs.
Have an assortment of mustards and pickles available. And don’t forget the popcorn, peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
During the seventh inning stretch, bring out the ice cream, cones and sprinkles.
Dip for Dummies
Ingredients:
1 cup of Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 cup of sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
Sprinkle of fresh-snipped or dried dill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of imported sweet
Hungarian paprika
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in a serving bowl and blend well. Chill.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: I mean no harm in the name of this recipe. I invented it years ago when my husband Edward and I cooked dinner for 40 people and I didn’t know what to do for a dip. I discovered this recipe by combining found ingredients in the fridge and cabinets. Years later, I substituted fresh chopped dill for the dried variety and added fresh lemon juice.
Homemade Salsa
Ingredients:
8 vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic, put through a
garlic press
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Directions:
Place the tomatoes in a colander and let drain for about one hour. Press with the back of a spoon and put in a serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. Chill.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: You may want to scrape off the seeds of the jalapeño pepper to avoid the "heat." If you like your salsa hot, keep the seeds. Wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers.
Blue Cheese Dip
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of Gorgonzola or Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of light cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup of sour cream
Directions:
Place the ingredients in a serving bowl. Blend well. Chill.
Serve with chips and assorted vegetables.
Serves six.
Build-Your-Own Hoagie
Ingredients:
12 small, crusty Italian rolls, or 2 loaves of Italian bread
1 pound of imported Prosciutto di Parma
1 pound of imported Genoa salami
1 pound of imported Mortadella
1 pound of imported sharp provolone
1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 large Bermuda onion, thinly sliced
4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) jar of roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained and thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced
1 (15-ounce) jar of marinated mushrooms, sliced
Shaker of dried oregano
Olive oil
Directions:
Place the breads in a basket.
Arrange all of the other ingredients on platters for self-serve.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: I prefer the small rolls from Lanci’s and Cacia bakeries. Marinated veggies are a good choice for wanting vegetarian hoagies.
Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans or jars of baked beans
1 cup of chili sauce
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
Brown sugar, to taste
Dash of hot sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
2 shots of bourbon
Directions:
Place the beans in a saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.
Heat over medium and simmer until
it comes to a boil.
Serves six.
