Frank and Mary Clare's Stewed Half Time Chicken Wings

So what with the middle of the Saints season upon us, and what with Saturday LSU football occupying our early evening hours, and what with dozens of our closest, most addicted football-fan friends coming over to the house every week. . .you need to have something other than cheese balls, chips, olives, hummus and crackers, crawfish dip, and popcorn to set out for your buddies at halftime. Well, we got it for you! But be aware that this recipe comes with a warning—serve it once and like old stray dogs they’ll be there on your porch all the way through Superbowl Sunday!

Franksgiving Corn Bundles

While the grownups are chowing down on Smothered Okra and Tomatoes, the kids this year will be happy as Pilgrims tearing into their oven-crispy corn bundles. Easy to make and even easier to serve, this side dish will satisfy even the most finicky child at the table. In fact, I predict that they’ll like them so much you’ll probably have to make a second batch the day after Franksgiving once they tell their friend just how good they really are.

Oyster Dressing Tarts

Let’s face it—the most Naturally N’Awlins dressing in this city at holiday time is—and has always been—oyster dressing. But this year, to give a trusty ol’ standard a little pizzazz, I‘m recommending that you pile the dressing into toasty, beautifully browned, pastry shells. . .almost like little tarts. All you need to do is follow my recipe to the letter and you got yourself one truly delectable Franksgiving treat!

Franksgiving - Kids Favorite - Mac -N-Cheese and Hotdogs

If your child has a somewhat mature and sophisticated palate, you might get him to eat a little turkey and dressing. But. . kids, for the most part, would just as soon pass on the turkey and have a big ol’ plate of macaroni and cheese. And Mom. . .just for the record a national survey has confirmed that most kids would opt for the boxed "mac-n-cheese" instead of the long-standing family recipe. So to get your kids to eat, what I’ve done is compromised between the family recipe and what’s inside the box. I then added yet another indisputable "kid favorite." Hot dogs! Frankfurters! Weenies (as they say)! Just cut’ em up and bake them into the "pasta fromage." You’ll hear Junior say…"Oh, Mom—cool!"

Franksgiving Smothered Tomatoes & Okra

Now this is the epitome of a Franksgiving side dish for native New Orleanians, regardless of what the entrée is and whether they claim to be Cajun or Creole (or something in between). With all the other food you’re going to put on the holiday table this year, don’t be surprised if this is the dish that disappears first.