“I’ve switched out the Irish cream liquor and used raspberry schnapps and cheesecake pudding, lemon schnapps and lemon pudding, root beer schnapps and vanilla pudding, plus many other combos. Any flavor combination that you can find a complimentary liquor for will work.”
Like many other readers, we were fascinated by the 50-dishes-for-50-states Thanksgiving mega-menu that our colleagues in the Food section recently produced. The piece – and the many reactions to it – got us wondering what a democratic version of the project might look like. That is, if the residents of every state could vote for distinct Thanksgiving dishes, what would each state’s dish be? So we asked researchers at Google for help. You can think of every web search that someone does for a recipe as a kind of vote, after all. The researchers didn’t focus on the most popular dish in every state, because that would be “turkey” in all 50 states. They instead looked for the most distinct. The dishes you see listed here are the result of the analysis. You should not interpret the dishes here as the most iconic Thanksgiving recipes in each state, or even a state's favorite dish. It’s possible that some dishes are so central to a state’s culture that people there don’t need to search for them on the web, for instance. But academic research – on everything from voter turnout to flu epidemics– has found that Google searching can be a meaningful indicator of behavior and attitudes. We certainly learned a lot from the analysis – ooey gooey bars! pig pickin cake! – and have had great fun talking about them around the office in the last few days. We hope you enjoy it as much. The top-ranked dish Googled for Thanksgiving in Colorado (Also Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming)was “Frog Eye Salad,” which turns out to be something of a regional phenomenon, also appearing in the top 10 in Idaho, Nevada and Utah. It is especially popular among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The New York Times Stylebook warns against overusing the word “unique,” so we’ll just tell you that we’re not aware of any other salad that combines pasta, fruit, eggs, whipped cream and marshmallows.
“The son-in-law posted this on his blog and stated “I personally commit to each and every one of you that, even though I am from Colorado, I have never, ever, Googled “frog eye salad”. Nor do I ever plan to.” So I did – and I took it to Thanksgiving dinner at their house! It was NOT a hit! Sort of ambrosia with something odd in it.
Ingredients:
20 oz can pineapple tidbits , drained and juice reserved
10 oz can crushed pineapple , drained and juice reserved
1 c reserved pineapple juice
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tab cornstarch
1/2 c acini de pepe noodles (tiny round balls of pasta)
15 oz can mandarin oranges , drained
1/2 c shredded sweetened coconut
1 c mini marshmallows
1 banana , sliced
1 c heavy whipping cream
1/4 c powdered sugar
Directions:
Drain the pineapple cans and reserve the juice. Reserve the pineapple fruit in the fridge for later.
In a saucepan over medium heat combine the pineapple juice, sugar, egg yolk, salt and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
Cook until mixtures comes to a low boil and thickens slightly.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Cook acini de pepe noodles according to package instructions.
Drain and cool.
Combine the acini de pepe and the thickened sauce in a Tupperware.
Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Once the acini de pepe mixture has chilled add it to a large bowl with the pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, and bananas.
In a separate bowl beat the cream and sugar together until stiff peaks.
Clafoutis is an easy French dessert (or breakfast dish) that’s perfect for using up summer fruit. Use whatever fruit you have on hand — cherries are classic — whip up a quick batter in your blender, and bake for a dessert to impress both dinner and overnight guests alike. Clafoutis is traditionally make with unpitted cherries — supposedly the pits add a bitter, almond-esque flavor to the dish — but can be made with almost any tender fruit. Pitted cherries can go in whole or halved, raspberries whole, fresh figs and strawberries halved as well. Other stone fruit like peaches and apricots should be pitted and sliced.
Ingredients:
1 Tab unsalted butter
12 ozs fresh fruit, such as cherries, berries, or stone fruit
1 c whole milk
1/2 c sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°.
Coat a ceramic tart pan or casserole dish with the butter and set aside. (You can also bake them in a glass baking dish.)
Prepare the fruit: Remove the stems and pit the cherries. Pitted cherries can go in whole or halved, raspberries whole, fresh figs and strawberries halved as well. Other stone fruit like peaches and apricots should be pitted and thinly sliced; set aside.
Combine the milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a blender or food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process until the batter is smooth, about 20 seconds.
Add the flour, zest, and salt and pulse until just incorporated, 5 to 7 pulses. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Top evenly with the fruit.
Bake until set, puffed, and light golden brown around the edges, about 50 minutes.
Place the dish on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes (the clafoutis will deflate).
Dust with powdered sugar if using, cut into wedges or scoop and serve warm.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
There are certain days during the summer when the last place anyone wants to be is in a hot kitchen. This cake is so simple a child can make it. (A great “starter” recipe for the budding chef.) Make it with a variety of crumb crusts – Oreo cookie crumbs, zwieback, chocolate wafers, just about any cookie.
Ingredients:
2 packages (20 sheets) graham crackers (3 cups of crumbs)
12 Tab butter, melted (1 1/2 cubes)
2 tablespoons sugar (not necessary with cookies)
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature (No, you cannot use the soft cream cheese.)
1 14-ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
Crush the graham crackers in a large resealable plastic bag with a rolling pin until very fine or use a food processer.
Pour crumbs into a medium bowl.
Stir in sugar.
Add butter.
Stir with a fork until well combined.
Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side.
Press flat.
Chill crust in freezer at least 10 minutes.
Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.
Beat in the condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, as necessary.
Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
Pour the filling into the crust.
Smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Overnight works best.
Unclasp sides of pan, and remove cheesecake.
Top with berries, peaches, chocolate, cherry/blueberry pie filling, caramel, etc — or not.
Variations:
Skip the crust: use cheesecake filling in a parfait and invent a whole new “layer cake.” Mix the filling, then put some in a glass. Top with broken-up cookies (such as chocolate or vanilla wafers) or graham crackers, and add fresh fruit (such as raspberries or blueberries). Alternate layers. Refrigerate parfait for 30 minutes, and serve.
For those of you who like a sweet savory with your cocktail – this is nirvana! They say it can be a dessert too. The directions look harder than they really are. Phyllo dough, done in a pan like this, is very forgiving. I doubled the syrup
Ingredients:
1 pound frozen phyllo dough, thawed in the refrigerator (about 20 sheets) (See notes)
2 pounds bacon, cooked until very crispy and chopped (Save the bacon fat.)
1 – 8-ounce package walnut pieces, ground
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 c bourbon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine bacon, walnuts and brown sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Gently unroll the phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to keep it from drying out. (I don’t bother with this.)
In a 9- X 13-inch baking pan, lay out 1 sheet of phyllo dough.
Brush with bacon fat.
Repeat five more times to a total of six layers, one on top of each other.
Sprinkle about 1/3 of the bacon/walnut mixture over the first layers of dough.
Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on top of bacon/walnut mixture.
Brush with bacon fat.
Repeat twice more, making three layers
Lay what ever is left of the sheet of phyllo dough on top brushing each one with bacon fat. If you run out of bacon fat use butter.
Using a sharp serrated knife, make your first cut lengthwise down the middle. Gently cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan, holding the phyllo dough in place with the fingers of your free hand on either side of the knife. (A dough cutter or pizza cutter will also work.)For individual bite-sized servings, cut six equal lengths. Do not cut in the opposite direction yet.
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat, being careful not to scorch or burn. Once it has melted, use a spoon to pour the butter over the baklava, making sure that it drizzles down into the cuts and along the sides. Use all of the butter. If it settles on top of the baklava, pick up the baking dish and rock it back and forth so that any remaining pools of butter soaks into the cuts and down the sides.
Now that the phyllo dough is soaked with the butter, it will make it easier to cut in the opposite direction into individual pieces. Using the same method you used for cutting lengthwise, turn the pan and cut the baklava into individual pieces, holding the phyllo dough in place with the fingers of your free hand. You can make this cut on a diagonal for a more draditional look.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
While the baklava is in the oven, heat the syrup in a small pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, and add the bourbon.
When the baklava is done, remove it from the oven and drizzle immediately with the hot syrup. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Serves: Makes about 48 pieces
Source: Loosely based on a recipe from Terri’s Table by Terri Powers.
Notes: Phyllo dough never comes in the size of your pan. Accept this. Cut the pieces to fit (the whole stack at once) before you start. Use the trim pieces in the middle of the stack – pieced like a patchwork quilt. Save one whole sheet for the top.
If there’s anything better than melted chocolate and toasted marshmallows between two graham crackers, it’s dipping marshmallows in a dark chocolate-and-whiskey sauce and covering it with graham cracker crumbs. You could go the extra mile and toast the marshmallows, too, if you have that much patience. Fondue works best for a small 4-6 group. You can also make this in an electric fondue pot.
Ingredients:
2 c chopped quality dark chocolate
1/3 c whipping cream
1/4 c whiskey (or rum, or brandy, or . . . . .)
1 c graham cracker crumbs
large marshmallows, for toasting
Cooking gel or wick fuel
small cast-iron mini cocotte
wooden skewers
Directions:
Heat a double boiler over medium-low heat. (Or bring the electric fondue pot up to temperature.)
Add the chocolate and cream.
Stir until melted.
Stir in the whiskey.
If using double boiler, pour the chocolate sauce into a bowl.
Place the graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl.
Place the cooking gel container into a cast-iron mini cocotte. ( If you are desperate for flame, give everyone a votive candle!)
Light it.
Toast the marshmallows on sticks.
Dip the marshmallows into the chocolate sauce, and then into the graham cracker crumbs.
Trail mix has long been regarded as a great on-the-go snack—it’s filling, easy to transport, and delicious. Sometimes, though, the store-bought versions use saccharine dried fruits or over-salted nuts. The best part about DIY trail mix? You can tailor it to your taste buds, picking your favorite ingredients and types of nuts, granola, sweets, and more, for a unique combination you know you’ll love. Quantities are not really critical – usually more cereal than sweet, but how is looking?
Ingredients:
cinnamon
sea salt
mini marshmallows
salted roasted almonds
chocolate chips
graham cracker cereal
Directions:
First, add a dash of cinnamon and sea salt in a container.
Add mini marshmallows and shake to mix.
Next, throw in salted, roasted almonds and your favorite kind of chocolate chips.
Rather than break up graham crackers, try topping your mixture with a cereal version of graham crackers (we used cinnamon squares), which is less likely to crumble.
Put a lid on the container and shake it up to mix well.
Enjoy this addictive snack on the trail or at camp, or back home, tote it along to work or while out running errands. You’ll get a boost from satisfying your salty and sweet cravings.
This is to die for!!!. Yes, it has a lot of steps and yes, it uses phyllo (filo) dough but it is not that hard. Works best with two people. One to butter and one to separate the sheets of phyllo dough. It is not the end of the world if they tear – remember they get buried in the stack and cut into pieces at the end.
Ingredients:
2 c unsalted butter (I used salted.)
4 c pecans, finely chopped (I used half pecans, half almonds chopped separately in a food processor.)
2 tsp cinnamon, ground (I used 3 – can’t have too much cinnamon.)
3⁄4 c sugar
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (forgot to melt)
1 (16 oz) package phyllo dough
3⁄4 c orange juice (Did not use – used honey syrup instead.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Thin Chocolate Glaze (Forgot to put on)
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
In a small glass bowl, combine chocolate, butter, and 1 tablespoon water.
Heat in the microwave on High 30 to 45 seconds, or until melted and smooth when stirred.
Directions:
(In a small skillet, melt butter over low heat. Let stand a few minutes. Skim off and discard white foam from top and do not use any milky residue that sinks to bottom.
The clear yellow liquid is clarified butter.) Did not do, just melted it in microwave.
Preheat oven to 350°.
In a medium bowl, combine pecans, cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and chocolate chips. (can’t read – used all the sugar!)
Mix well.
Open and stack phyllo sheets on a damp towel. Cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out. (No damp towel – work fast or with two people, one to spread, one to separate.)
Brush a 12×18-inch sheet cake pan with (clarified) butter.
Layer half of phyllo sheets (about 10 x 12) in pan, brushing each sheet with butter.
Spread half of nut mixture evenly over layered phyllo sheets.
Brush next phyllo sheet on both sides with butter, then place on top of nuts. (did not do — that stuff is really thin!)
Add 5 or 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
Top with the remaining nut mixture.
Butter next phyllo sheet on both sides and place on top of the nuts. (not doing)
Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
Using a sharp knife, cut pastry into 50 diamond-shaped pieces.
Do not remove pastry from pan.
Brush top with remaining (clarified) butter.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden.
About 30 minutes before baklava is finished baking, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and orange juice. (did not do – citrus allergy. Used honey syrup instead.)
Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring often.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour hot orange syrup over hot baklava as soon as it is removed from oven.
Let stand until cool, 4 hours or overnight.
When baklava is cool, drizzle Thin Chocolate Glaze on top.
Allow glaze to set up before serving.
Re-cut to serve.
Baklava may be kept, covered, 4 to 5 days at room temperature.
Freeze for longer storage.
Honey Syrup:
Ingredients:
1 c sugar
1 c water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c honey
1 Tab orange zest
Directions:
In a sauce pan, boil the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
