The Most Searched Recipes of 2012

Looking at the most-searched recipes of the year is like spying in a stranger's kitchen. There's a crockpot on the counter, zucchini in the fridge, and a whole lot of chicken on the table (every afternoon, the Internet explodes with searches for "chicken recipes"). It's also pretty comforting, since a stranger's kitchen looks shockingly like our own. If this list makes one thing clear, it's that home cooks are after the same thing: how to make simple, everyday meals and celebrate every occasion we get (one word: cake!). For each of the year's most popular searches, we've offered some of our favorite recipes, just to save you the trouble of looking yourself. Here's to another year of happy cooking and delicious meals. --Sarah McColl, Shine staff