Over the weekend, I catered the grand opening of Strike 3 Pitching, a new softball practice and instruction facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. The team at Strike 3 had undoubtedly worked hard prepping their brand new facility for their very own opening day. And just like a hot summer day spent at the stadium, the menu I created for them reflected my own take on the very best foods of the ballpark. Here’s a sampling of the menu:
- Fastball Fancy Franks: Miniature beef franks wrapped in bacon and seared in a delicious secret sauce.
- Coach’s Mini Caprese Salads: Bite size versions of a light, refreshing summer favorite.
- Buffalo Chicken Bruschetta: Like bruschetta, but made with buffalo chicken and all the things that go with it!
- Beer Cheese: This creamy cheese, made with a true ballpark staple, tasted great with veggies and pretzels.
- Fly Pop Popcorn: My secret recipe! Tasted a lot like a grown up version of Cracker Jacks!
And because no celebration is complete without the sweets, I crafted these optic yellow softball cupcakes for Strike 3′s guests. They were, without sounding too cheesy, a home run!

These optic yellow softball cupcakes were a home run with the team from Strike 3 Pitching!
If you live in the Minneapolis Metro and your kid needs some softball instruction or wants to go to one of their open batting practices, check out Strike 3. They were one delightful team to work with!