Becky Hardin is a chef who combines her love of cooking with her love of family activities. One of those activities, of course, is going to Cardinals games with his family. While Busch Stadium employs Chef Norman to bring their creative culinary delights to those attending the games, she likes to come up with her own and has collected quite a few recipes. She has created a website that shares her recipes and also teaches cooking.
“I am self-taught with the help of the best home cook I know, my mother Susie Gall,” she said.
Hardin didn’t really start cooking as a passion until she turned 30.
“At that point, she was desperate to learn,” she said, and she really began to pay attention to her mother.
“I started my website as a way to document my journey to learn to cook, and I found a passion along the way. Cooking is something that can really bring families together and I just love creating new recipes that my family will love.”
Baseball is another of the “recipes” for happiness that her family loves. She started out as a Royals fan, but when she moved to St. Louis and married her husband, she was destined to become a Cardinals fan.
“My husband and I met at Truman State University but didn’t start dating until we got back together in our late 20s when I moved to St. Louis,” she said.
One of their first dates was to a Cardinals game.
“I started out as a Royals fan — but I love the Cardinals since I moved here — and my husband Patrick is a big Cardinals fan,” she said. “He grew up in St. Lous and works in finance. My two boys – Jack and his younger brother Henry – now say they love both teams, but would root for the Cardinals if and when they play each other.”
She likes going to games with her family, and Patrick has a family connection to the ballpark.
“My father-in-law, Bill Hardin works at Busch Stadium as an usher,” she said. “He’s been working there since his retirement and we love walking through his gate and surprising him.” (Bill Hardin is shown at right with his sons – his grandsons)
She enjoys taking the family to Busch for the whole experience, but even for a transplant from Kansas City who is becoming a Cardinals fan, she likes the history of the team.
“I would say my favorite player historically would be Stan Musial for the type of man he was and the example he set,” she said. “Right now my son and I love Nolan Arenado and my son Henry has his jersey.”
Labor Day is coming up on September 2, 2024, and a three-day weekend is always an excuse to watch Cardinals baseball and eat good food. The Cardinals will be in Milwaukee so fans can listen to the games on the radio or TV while grilling out in their backyards – and Hardin will do just that.
Labor Day is the perfect time for a cookout to say goodbye to summer, and this menu has everything you need to end summer on a high note and impress all your guests.
Becky Hardin, founder and recipe developer at The Cookie Rookie, has put together the perfect Labor Day menu ideas that she shares with STLSportsPage.com.
“The Labor Day celebration tends to signal the end of grilling season,” she said, “The final cookout calls for the full work of side dishes, appetizers, desserts and the classic burgers and dogs.”
Check out her website for all aspects including the recipes.
Labor Day Cook-Out
1 – Cooling drinks
“The key to keeping guests hydrated and happy is a customizable menu. Having the ingredients for both sodas and summer cocktails to fit everyone’s lifestyle, such as Lavender Lemonade, which can be customized into a cocktail, and leftovers can be frozen into ice cubes.” Iced tea screams summer, and this Raspberry Iced Tea is deliciously sweet for a sunny day and can be made to your liking.When hosting, batch recipes make it all easier, and my Margarita Pitcher recipe is a crowd-pleaser that can easily be adapted to make drinks for as few as 2 people and as many as 24. With its refreshing mint and lime flavors, the mojito provides a cooling contrast to hot grilled food.”
2 – Raise BBQ staples
“Burgers are a staple at any barbecue. These juicy, flavorful and perfectly grilled burgers are a must-have for your Labor Day spread. For juicy burgers, meatballs should be at room temperature before being placed on a preheated grill. For perfect grilling, close the grill lid and open the vents for even cooking. Top the burgers with caramelized onions and your favorite burger sauces. You can mimic your favorite burgers, such as a Maid Rite sandwich or get creative with a Taco Burger. Another staple, Grilled Hot Dogs can easily be customized to your guests’ tastes, from a New York hot dog with onions and mustard to a Texas-style chili cheese dog using this easy chili recipe. If you have a busy day and want options that aren’t from the grill, this Cheeseburger Slider recipe can make 12 rolls with just ten minutes of prep.”
3 – Pages that steal the show
“Creamy coleslaw is a crisp, tangy classic side that goes well with anything, coleslaw is refreshing and balances the richness of burgers and hot dogs. This Mexican grilled corn complements any grilled meat and adds a touch of summer sweetness to your plate with a creamy and cheesy taco-spiced flavor. This BLT Pasta Salad is the ultimate easy pasta salad perfect for big parties, combining the fresh flavors of a BLT sandwich with hearty pasta. For a sweet and refreshing side, this easy grilled peach salad (shown at left) comes together in ten minutes and is topped with the summer hit ingredient crumbled feta. Another classic, Mac and Cheese is a crowd pleaser. This recipe can be made ahead and adapted to suit your menu and dietary needs – it’s sure to leave all guests satisfied.”
4 – Sauces and dips to elevate your party
“Dips are the perfect addition to any party. Having a table of chips with different dips will keep guests satisfied while the food is being grilled. This classic chicken buffalo dip is made by using all the flavors of buffalo wings in dip form. For a hot cheese dip, this Mexican Street Corn Dip is easy to make and perfect for any occasion with any type of dip from tortilla chips to vegetables. This chopped chicken caesar salad dip is a fun variation of a summer salad turned into a creamy dip that’s easy to make. BBQ sauce recipes are consistently popular throughout the year, searched over 12,000 times a month, and from a BBQ Brisket Sauce to a Korean BBQ Sauce that can be used as a marinade or dipping sauce for chicken legs and wings, vegetables or other BBQ staples.”
5 – Desserts to enjoy the day
“Nothing says summer like pie, and Labor Day is the perfect chance to use up the last of the season’s berries on Fresh Strawberry Pie or Cherry Pie topped with vanilla ice cream. This Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips recipe is a fun BBQ treat that’s fresh and delicious—a perfect combination of crunchy and sweet textures and flavors that can be served as an appetizer or dessert. For a lighter dessert that can be made on your grill, grilled peaches with ice cream are the perfect addition to a cookout and require only simple ingredients.
Cookie Rookie has options for all BBQ and grill recipes.
Photo credits: Becky Hardin, The Cookie Rookie
