A home run during baseball season

BY LINDA BASSETT

Baseball season is in full swing in New England. But I don’t mean a visit to our beloved Fenway. I’m talking about the other games: at Seaside, Gatchells and assorted area high schools. Kids’ baseball has long been my joy and challenge. The joy is obvious; the challenge, my ticket price: cold, laundry, dinner, homework.

Let’s start with the cold. This corner of the country rarely hosts warm springtime breezes. The wind off the ocean makes no distinction between players and fans, boldly smacking their cheeks raw. The kids are too involved playing the game to notice. But a player’s mom must sit in the bleachers, intersecting with stone-cold aluminum. Starting at that touchpoint, the chill seeps upwards, invading sweatpants and sweatshirts, jackets, scarves and gloves until, by the end of the first inning, we’re scurrying back to the car to swap out ball caps for woolen hats. (The same might be said of soccer, but fans tend to walk along the sidelines to get a better view of the action, and stay warm.) So, baseball parents prepare for the game with a variety of solutions: stacks of blankets and baskets of bleacher cushions. When you see the contents of that open vehicle, you recognize a baseball family.

After the final high-fives, there’s the laundry bag. At some point, that favorite player is going to slide into second — or, maybe, home. And somebody’s got to erase the mud and grass stains in time for the next game.

Half the conversations in the bleachers have nothing to do with today’s lineup or an ump’s blown call. They’re about brands of detergent and stain removers, and often, a running list of coaches who mandate white uniforms.

And then, food. At the end of travel games, a team has built up a huge appetite. A hefty snack is in order. My go-to was always the “homerun sandwich.” This started when I inadvertently marked the sandwich wrappers with initials so they’d know what was inside: HC for ham and cheese, TH for turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce. And, inevitably, ham and roast beef: HR! Instantly the most popular post-game snack.

Once home, there’s no time for meal prep. Just scrub off the dirt and visit the dinner table. I’ve rarely seen a kid turn down meatballs in any guise. (Do you understand that all this sports talk was just a lead-in to the meatballs?) Easily made ahead, even early in the season, and frozen in batches to last. Making your own keeps out the preservatives and overseasoning. When I’m too busy — or too lazy — I roll them the size of baseballs. They’re versatile: with an easy tomato sauce, plated with pasta; sliced and topped with sauce and a layer of cheese melted over the top, parmigiana-style; dropped into a pot of vegetable soup on a really chilly day or simply in meatball subs.

So, onto homework. Tomorrow, teachers won’t care who hit the winning run. That math assignment is calling.

Meatballs

Makes about 24 to 28 small meatballs or about 12 to 14 large ones. Double or triple the following recipes to prepare as many batches as you like. Then place them on sheet pans in the freezer. When frozen, pack them up in batches in plastic freezer bags.

` ¾ cup dried flavored bread crumbs

`

½ cup milk

` excess egg mixture or crumbs.

Transfer meatballs to the baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the meatballs, then roll them to be sure that they (and the foil) are thinly coated with the oil.

Bake 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, roll the meatballs over and continue to cook 15 to 20 minutes until done.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

2 pounds mixed ground beef and pork

` —1 egg, beaten plus a second egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water

`

½ cup Parmesan cheese

` ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, minced

`

1 small onion, minced

`

Enough for a pound of pasta. The wine is optional, but the alcohol evaporates when the sauce bubbles, leaving only sweetness.

`

1 pinch crumbled dried sage salt, ground black pepper

` Olive oil, for drizzling the pan

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 375°F degrees. Set aside ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs and one egg for later. Soak ½ cup of the bread crumbs in milk, about 5 minutes, until they soften.

In a large bowl, mix together all the remaining ingredients with the softened breadcrumbs. Scoop the meat mixture using an ice cream scoop and form into balls of about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Set each one aside on a plate.

Whisk together the remaining egg and water in a bowl.

Place the remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs on a plate. Take each meatball and roll it first in the egg mixture, then the crumbs to coat, shaking off any