A Twist on a Jersey Favorite

Today we celebrate the Garden State. What is now New Jersey first saw people moving into the area about 15,000 years ago, at the end of the ice age. The first European explorers didn’t arrive until 1574. Some 200 years later, New Jersey, one of the original 13 colonies, struggled for independence from British rule.

New Jersey is filled with history, some old, some fairly new.

Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in New Jersey. So that we would never forget, the Thomas Edison Memorial Tower is crowned with the world’s largest light bulb. Built in 1938, the tower marks the site of Edison’s greatest triumph. The tower stands 118-feet tall, with a 14-foot bulb weighing more than eight tones.

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While the first Drive-In Movie was opened by Claude V. Caver in Comanche, Texas in 1921, what we think of as Drive-In Movie Theaters was actually patented by Richard Hollingshead, Jr in Camden, New Jersey in 1932. Hollingshead tested his ideal for an outdoor theater using a 1928 Kodak projector. He nailed a screen to the trees in his backyard, with a radio behind the screen, testing different sound levels with his car windows up and down. He even put blocks under the vehicles to determine the scale and spacing of ramps so all could view the screen. Hollingshead applied for his patent on August 6, 1932, and opened the first drive-in theater on June 6 the following year. Drive-in Theaters hit their peak in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in rural areas with over 4,000 theaters across the country. Some theaters even offered bottle warmers, diaper vending machines, miniature golf courses and swimming pools. With changes in home entertainment, with color television, cable TV and video rentals, the popularity of drive-in movies lost much of their appeal by the 1980s. Yet since 2020, drive-ins are making a comeback, especially for concert venues and religious events.

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Asbury Park is a beachfront community located along the Jersey Shores. It was developed as a residential resort in 1871 by James Bradley. Named after Francis Asbury, the first American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Asbury Park began as a “dry town”. Much of that changed in the 1920s, with the Casinos, a Carousel House and Boardwalk.

In 2008, Asbury Park became a Mecca for Zombies with its annual Zombie Walk held each October. Twice the festival has made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records. The first time was in 2010, when 4,093 ghoulish attendees walked the streets, and again in 2013 with 9,592 Zombies. However; Asbury Park has its work cut out if it wants to take the title again. The Zombie Pub Crawl of Minneapolis has held the crown since 2014, when 15,458 Zombies participated.

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Whatever else might be happening in New Jersey, one thing is for sure – these people love their hot dogs! Do you remember the recipe I shared a few years back for New Jersey Italian Hot Dog on Pizza Bread? This is a twist on that same idea, with a kiss of nearby Coney Island thrown in for good measure.

French Fri Chili Dog Boats
Crinkle Fries
8 oz Frozen Crinkle Cut French Fries
Cooking Spray
Salt to taste

Heat Air Fryer to 390 degrees. Spray inside of basket with cooking spray, add fries, spray again. Set time for 10 minutes, shake after 5 minutes cooking time.

Empty fries onto a large sheet of foil, wrap and keep warm until ready to use.

Chili Dogs
1/4 Yellow Onion
2 Scotch Bonnet or other Peppers (optional)
4 Quarter-Pound All Beef Hot Dogs
1/2 lb lean Ground Beef
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 cans Hot Chili with Beans

Peel and dice onion, set aside. If using, core and dice peppers, set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook hot dogs with a little water until skins have blistered and the dogs are heated trough. Keep warm until ready to use.

In a pan brown ground beef with diced onions, cook until no longer pink, breaking meat into small pieces as it browns. Add diced peppers, continue to cook a few more minutes. Drain well, season with chili powder.

Empty canned chili into the pan with the meat mixture. Stir to blend, warm gently.

Torpedo Boats
1/4 Yellow Onion
1/2 cup shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese
4 crusty Italian or Torpedo Sandwich Rolls (not split)

Heat oven to 325-degrees. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or parchment paper, set aside.

Peel and finely dice onion, set aside. Shred cheese, set aside.

Cut a long rectangle cut through the top portion of the bread roll without cutting through completely. Lift top, then hollow out torpedo roll to create a “boat” for the chili dogs. Arrange boats on the prepared baking dish.

Divide fries and layer the bottom of each boat with fries. Spread a layer of chili over the fries. Split hot dogs lenghtwise. Top chili with a hot dog, cut side down and followed with more chili. Sprinkle with cheese and raw onion.

Place boats in the heated oven, bake for about 10 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with a knife and a fork alongside plenty of napkins.

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Blessed are You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. Praise be Your name.