In a recent post, online magazine Eat This, Not That checked Google Trends for "the most popular recipe in every state right now."
Turns out, the trending searches in the tri-state area would seem destined for Fourth of July gatherings: hamburgers in Alabama, baked beans in Tennessee and lemonade in Georgia. Borrow potato salad from Indiana or Missouri, and we're ready to eat.
"Between the coronavirus pandemic closing up restaurants and cities enforcing stay-at-home mandates, people have been cooking a lot at home," senior editor Kiersten Hickman noted in the recipe roundup. "For some, cooking at home is easy and doesn't require much thought (or research). But for others who are entering their first foray into cooking, the internet can be a great tool for cooking questions and new recipes."
Hickman said there are a few popular recipes that are widely trending, such as sourdough bread and whipped coffee, but a few unique search terms popped up for every state. Trends were examined for the top search terms under "recipe" since March 1.
Hickman included favorite Eat This, Not That recipes for each state's trending search and agreed to share them with Times Free Press readers.
ALABAMA: HAMBURGERS
According to Google Trends, Alabamans have been hungry for hamburgers while in quarantine.
Classic Beef Burgers
This classic hamburger - with only 343 calories, 9 grams of fat and a "secret fat-burning sauce" - comes from "Zero Belly Cookbook" author David Zinczenko.
Makes 4 servings.
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (at least 90%)
3 tablespoons Black Pepper Marinade (see recipe)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 gluten-free English muffins or burger buns, toasted
1 beefsteak tomato, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 leaves Bibb lettuce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, marinade and salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.
While the beef is marinating, heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Form the beef mixture into 4 patties, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. The center should be pink and juicy.
Spread each toasted burger bun top with 1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup and 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard. Place a burger on each toasted burger bun bottom, and top with slices of red tomato, 2 lettuce leaves and a burger top.
Nutrition information per serving: 343 calories, 9 grams fat, 41 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 25 grams protein.
Black Pepper Marinade
Yields: 1 cup
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin
3 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
Grind the coriander seeds, peppercorns and cumin seeds in a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder until very fine.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor, and puree until smooth. Add the ground spices, and process to incorporate.
Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition information per tablespoon: 47 calories, 3 grams fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, no fiber or protein.
- From "Zero Calorie Cookbook" by David Zinczenko
Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/MCT / According to Google Trends data, Alabama residents have been searching for recipes for baked beans, an all-American summer standby.TENNESSEE: BAKED BEANS
According to Google Trends, searches for baked beans were up 350% in Tennessee over the past few months. This recipe originally appeared in a "Cook This, Not That" cookbook by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding.
Smoky Stovetop "Baked" Beans With Bacon
Serves: 4
4 strips bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup dark beer
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Heat a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.
Add the bacon, and cook until it's just turning crispy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent, another 3 minutes.
Stir in the beans, beer, ketchup, chili powder, brown sugar and cayenne.
Simmer until the sauce thickens and clings to the beans, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition information: 170 calories, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 570 milligrams sodium.
GEORGIA: LEMONADE
In addition to searching for recipes for margaritas and mojitos, Georgia residents also had a heavy interest in homemade lemonade, the Google Trends data showed. Eat This, Not That used a favorite recipe from Gimme Some Oven blogger Ali Martin, but she did not immediately return a request for a reprint. You can find her recipe at https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/homemade-lemonade/.
Or try this one from the folks at Sunkist, growers of lemons (if you want to squeeze them yourself) and makers of fresh-squeezed lemon juice (if you'd rather fast-track the recipe).
Fresh Lemonade
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups water
1 lemon, cut into cartwheel slices for garnish
Ice cubes
In a large pitcher, combine the lemon juice and sugar; stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add the water, lemon slices and ice. Stir and enjoy.
Email Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com.