Every fall, as the weather gets cooler and the leaves turn the colors of harvest and drift quietly from the trees, home cooks everywhere start scouring the ‘net for the most important recipes they’ll serve until Thanksgiving: football game day snacks.

And no option feeds a crowd quite so well as a humble platter of cheese fries. But those forkfuls of frozen, crinkle-cut fries topped with cheese sauce of questionable provenance, bacon and green onions and served with a side of appetizer-friendly ranch get boring before preseason ends.