Here is a collection of my favourite US recipes. As an American, I could not begin to tell you what is officially “American” food. Perhaps barbeque, macaroni and cheese, chili con carne or sweet potato casserole with marshmallows (see Thanksgiving recipes below)… Most of the food I grew up eating definitely had origins in other countries. Just to name a few: spaghetti and meatballs, burritos, and sushi. Please forgiven me in advance if I include recipes here as American even if they have other origins!
Breakfast and Brunch
Not every country can have a whole section of recipes for breakfast and brunch. However, the US has many foods made especially for these meals. Of course, pancakes are a favourite but there are many other delicious foods in this category.
Snacks and appetisers
People in the USA love their snacks! Most people I know have snacks in their desks, handbags and/or rucksacks. And there are multiple aisles in every supermarket dedicated to snacks. These are recipes for some of my favourite snacks. learned to make some of these recipes, because I could not find my favourite snacks in the UK and France. For example, corn dogs are only recently available in the UK and not available in France, as far as I know. Snacks can also sometimes be called appetisers or nibbles in the UK, and the line between the two is grey. Therefore, I am including all of these in the same category.
Salads
American salads, especially for picnics, can be very unique! Friends in the UK were surprised by the three or four bean salad which is made mostly of tinned beans. One of my favourites is the iceberg wedge salad, which is delicious and looks beautiful. However, it can be tricky to eat and requires some work to cut everything up. Another unusual salad is ambrosia, which is arguably a dessert too, since it contains marshmallows, cream, coconut and fruits.
Main Dishes
American main dishes are probably a mix of many cultures, so here I will post common dishes made in the US even if they have roots from other countries. For example, the American lasagna is quite different to the Italian version.
Side Dishes
Coming soon…
Desserts
There is a huge variety of American desserts that it’s difficult to know where to start. The first shared recipe is for the peanut butter kiss cookies, which are typical at Christmas. However, I have made some adaptations for the UK ingredients so instead of Hershey’s kisses, I used Cadbury’s buttons. Still the same great taste! Many more desserts will be added over time. I’ve had some recent requests for my tiramisu recipe from friends who tried it back in the 1990’s! It is not traditional and doesn’t use eggs, but still comes out very tasty. Recently I have also tried making a few vegan or dairy-free recipes so that friends with allergies or intolerances can try some of the desserts.
Thanksgiving Special
Thanksgiving is arguably the biggest holiday in the US. The celebration is centred around food, family and friends. The recipes below are the foods I make every year as part of the Thanksgiving tradition. However, there are many other appetizers, salads, side dishes and desserts that have been part of the dinners over the years. What is your favourite Thanksgiving recipe?
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