American Menu themed dinner.

KahuNZ

Hello
I am wanting to create an American theme menu for my family. I live in New Zealand and my brother has just returned from San Francisco and I would like to have a special meal for him and the family.
Would love ideas especially vegetarian as I don't want to have too much meat - if at all (I am vegetarian)
So far I have thought of pumpkin pie, key lime pie, hot dogs, chilli.
I don't want fried food as in fried chicken - more healthy style.
Suggestions much appreciated and if you have the recipe - please post or send mail, or I can 'google' it.
Thank you

MisterDerpington

Would love ideas especially vegetarian as I don't want to have too much meat - if at all (I am vegetarian)

I don't want fried food as in fried chicken - more healthy style.

You're really eliminating a lot of stereotypical American food. lol

KahuNZ

Yep LOL! But I have high hopes for you guys....I know there are more choices than fried :-)

itsjustdawn

Americans eat a lot of fried food. And pizza.

GiGiBeans

We like our meat here! BBQ chicken, hamburgers, meatloaf. Peas and carrots, corn on the cob. Apple pie!

JazmineYoli

Burgers/Veggie Burgers
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mushroom-Veggie-Burger/Detail.aspx

Apple Pie of course

Crab Cakes (Maryland)

Collard Greens (Southern Food)

Mac and Cheese

JazmineYoli

Also instead of Buffalo Wings try Buffalo Cauliflower (veggies)
http://www.persnicketyplates.com/2013/04/buffalo-cauliflower.html

Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole

ugottafriend

Definitely BBQ! Smoked or roasted meats with a spice rub or sauce. How about baked beans, macaroni and cheese, some kind of greens (collard, mustard, turnip, or kale), and cornbread to go with it? As for dessert, definitely a pie! Apple or pecan served warm with ice cream on the side, or a cold pie like key lime or lemon meringue. If you're looking for simpler party-style foods, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, baked chicken wings in hot sauce, potato salad, and coleslaw. Have fun!

jimmmer

What about Jambalaya? That's some seriously tasty stuff!

benol1

Damn, and I was going to suggest a deep fried frozen turkey!
Have fun with your family dinner.
Ben

endoftheside

Vegetarian American...hmmm.

Summer (some would be good year round): watermelon, corn on the cob, cucumber sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, jello salad, carrot raisin salad, deviled eggs, banana pudding with vanilla wafers and whipped cream, fake meat with BBQ sauce, zucchini bread, banana splits or sundaes

Winter: artichoke dip, spinach dip, potatoes au gratin, candied squash or carrots, mashed potatoes with gravy, southern style green beans, collard greens, cranberry sauce, stuffing, nut crusted cheese log and club crackers, veggie tray, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, apple pie, pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie, pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, pumpkin bread, breakfast casserole with fake sausage

TheGymGypsy

I would for sure say mac n' cheese or pizza. They are important staples of an American vegetarian diet. Or grilled cheese sandwiches. And I also agree with apple pie but those are a pain to make.

TheGymGypsy

What do you eat in New Zealand? :P

Sweetredpoison

You gotta do BBQ! Like ribs.. mmm.

Turtle003

In the midwest states we eat a lot of meat....pork chops, steak, baked potatoes, fries, baked chicken. For a vegetarian maybe cheese pizza, mac n cheese, cheese lasagna, tater tot casserole without the hamburger? We eat a lots of casseroles here too

Turtle003

For dessert I love ice cream and cake or any apple pie or cobbler.

beekay70

America is a melting pot. We eat foods from all over the world. The "fry everything" craze that has swept the state fairs and carnivals was largely fueled by a British immigrant that opened a fish and chip shop and decided to fry a Twinkie and a Mars bar. The one thing that may be uniquely American is barbecue, and even that is unique in style to particular regions.

Traditional, but also a bit stereotypical, foods from the South include fried chicken on Sunday, apple pie, greens (collard and turnip) doused in pepper vinegar, fried green tomatoes, sweet iced tea, barbecue (dry rubbed and slow-cooked in Texas), etc.

But, as people travel and media extends its reach, cultures get watered down and integrated into others. 20 years ago, you couldn't find Cajun food outside of Louisiana and parts of Mississippi and Texas. Now you can find it overseas. I've found Tex-Mex all over the world. Sadly, KFC and McDonald's have successfully invaded overseas markets. Maybe we will eventually export something a bit healthier, like Chipotle or MyFit Foods.

KahuNZ

Thanks everyone - lots of good ideas here. We have lots of barbecues in summer here but the weather is a bit unsettled at the moment so dinner will be inside.
I haven't heard of collard greens so thats on the list!
I like the idea of buffalo cauliflower too and I can do a bean jambalaya
Once again thanks for all the good ideas - it will be fun trying out some new recipes.

777Gemma888

America is a melting pot. We eat foods from all over the world. The "fry everything" craze that has swept the state fairs and carnivals was largely fueled by a British immigrant that opened a fish and chip shop and decided to fry a Twinkie and a Mars bar. The one thing that may be uniquely American is barbecue, and even that is unique in style to particular regions.

Traditional, but also a bit stereotypical, foods from the South include fried chicken on Sunday, apple pie, greens (collard and turnip) doused in pepper vinegar, fried green tomatoes, sweet iced tea, barbecue (dry rubbed and slow-cooked in Texas), etc.

But, as people travel and media extends its reach, cultures get watered down and integrated into others. 20 years ago, you couldn't find Cajun food outside of Louisiana and parts of Mississippi and Texas. Now you can find it overseas. I've found Tex-Mex all over the world. Sadly, KFC and McDonald's have successfully invaded overseas markets. Maybe we will eventually export something a bit healthier, like Chipotle or MyFit Foods.

QFT ~ thank you!!

The food here in the USA is more varied then one would assume. It is as inane as saying that a Sizzle@ a NZ Saturday Fair staple is traditionally Kiwi (a grilled sausage meat/vegan on a piece of white bread with tomato sauce & onions). Even a sausage on a stick ~ much like the American Corn Dog is another Kiwi staple. When one says burgers, hot dogs, pizza etc ~ the reactive response is that the person is ill-informed. A Hangi is traditionally the food prep for NZ ~ yes? BBQ is traditional here, as is pit roasting and earth ovens or clay adobe ovens ~ TRADITIONAL.

A Kiwi Sausage Sizzle


You would need to isolate which part of the USA you want to emulate. Clam bakes is traditionally of the Northern Eastern seaboard. Conch or oyster raw salads ~ Miami. Ribs and meat array BBQ ~ there are those who'd eat it as you are familiar at a BBQ, and then there are those who traditionally douse it with thick pasty sauces. It is as varied as the cuisine is from the North Island to the South Island. If you were to travel to Stewart Island ~ the dishes are very different to something they would serve you in Queenstown, which will be different to Blenheim and totally outpaced by someone's table in Khandallah in Wellington. You would dine at Herne Bay in Auckland ~ thinking that they overdo everything and overspend per dish ~ resembling a very NY table ~ the wannabe New Yorkers live there.

Thankfully ~ it is drawing closer to Thanksgiving and Vegetarians and Vegans are abound here. I will collate some dishes and post them here.

ETA: Adding pic

777Gemma888

Hello
I am wanting to create an American theme menu for my family. I live in New Zealand and my brother has just returned from San Francisco and I would like to have a special meal for him and the family.
Would love ideas especially vegetarian as I don't want to have too much meat - if at all (I am vegetarian)
So far I have thought of pumpkin pie, key lime pie, hot dogs, chilli.
I don't want fried food as in fried chicken - more healthy style.
Suggestions much appreciated and if you have the recipe - please post or send mail, or I can 'google' it.
Thank you

Squash and Apple Soup: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Winter-Squash-and-Apple-Soup


Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe Pesto :http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/orecchiette-with-broccoli-rabe-pesto-recipe/index.html


Squash and Spinach Lasagna :http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/squash-and-spinach-lasagna-recipe/index.html


Tofu Stuffed Acorn Squash : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/tofu-stuffed-acorn-squash-recipe/index.htm


Vegetarian Ragout over Cheese Polenta :http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/v-is-for-vegetarian-ragout-over-cheese-polenta-with-red-pepper-coulis-recipe/index.html


Grilled Figs with Burrata and Romesco toast : http://www.oprah.com/food/Grilled-Figs-with-Burrata-and-Romesco-Toast


Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale : http://www.oprah.com/food/Spicy-Parmesan-Green-Beans-and-Kale


Creamed Spinach : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/creamed-spinach-recipe/index.html


Spice Roasted Cauliflower & Jerusalem Artichokes : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/spice-roasted-cauliflower-and-jerusalem-artichokes-recipe/index.html


Jalapeno Corn Muffins : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/jalapeno-corn-muffins-recipe/index.html


ETA: And don't forget to purchase wines from Sonoma or Napa. Very NorCal. )

Hazel0096

If he is just getting back from San francisco, make Rice-a-roni - that's the San Francisco Treat!

cwolfman13

As a whole, the US doesn't have a tremendous food culture. We have certain areas of the country that have various food cultures, but no singular food culture really to speak of. Standard "American" fare generally revolves around a hunk of meat, potatoes or rice, and possibly a vegetable if granny made you eat 'em.

Most of our more cultured cuisine actually comes from other cultures I'm afraid.

You may want to look into southern cooking as an example of an area that really has a food culture and it's own cuisine...otherwise grill up a steak and serve with a baked potato and a salad slathered in some kind of creamy dressing.

KahuNZ

If he is just getting back from San francisco, make Rice-a-roni - that's the San Francisco Treat!

I found a homemade recipe - sounds easy and delicious.
http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-rice-a-roni-24476

Corjogo

Don't know if your brother is a real "foodie" but you might try American Indian food, corn and squash are big veggie items, fish - west coast has a lot of available species or Mexican dishes, tacos are pretty easy to do and can be vegetarian, fish or meat. Whatever you decide I'm sure you can find a "lighter" version on line (or here - check blogs/recent posts) that will meet your desires. Enjoy!!

rduhlir

Burger and fries....can't get more American than that.

To make it healthy though, you can do turkey or chicken burgers. Then for dessert, nothing screams American like apple pie.

ldrosophila

pizza!

Katla49

People are right. America is a melting pot, and everyone brings their own cuisine with them when they immigrate. The only "traditional American Food" that I can think of is Thanksgiving dinner: Roast turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, baked squash, green bean casserole, & pumpkin pie. The English Pilgrims began this tradition with the help of their Native American neighbors. If your brother was on the West Coast he would probably have had sea food, Mexican food, and Chinese food. Thai food is gaining in popularity. Ask him what he likes.

hunnyhun921

you can do oven fried chicken. Makes it a little healthier.

SailorKnightWing

Agreed that you should ask what he ate while there and use that for a jumping-off point. I can guarantee what he ate in San Francisco is a lot different from the cornbread and beans we eat so often here in West Virginia.

glassgallm

bump

cwolfman13

Burger and fries....can't get more American than that.

To make it healthy though, you can do turkey or chicken burgers. Then for dessert, nothing screams American like apple pie.

Why would you need to do turkey or chicken burgers...there is nothing inherently unhealthy about red meat. Burger is just ground steak and can be had at various fat contents...there is nothing inherently "healthier" about a turkey burger than a beef burger...pure nonsense.