Pacific Coast

These states are the most diverse group in the country. California for the most part is sunny and the climate is welcoming to plant growing. The ocean and lakes bring seafood and fish into the mix. Also in California unusual and new combinations are always welcome. Many fruits are grown in Washington and Oregon. Almost any kind of meat is used in the Pacific Northwest. Cooking techniques are for the most part simple and the variety of people who have come to this area have affected the cuisine. Also Sourdough came out of this region.

The first dish i made was Fresh Strawberry Pie. Extremely delicious, easy to make and my family loved it......I feel like that is what i say about every dish, but it is the truth. This pie was spectacular.

The second dish was Salmon Steaks with Dill Sauce. The only thing that stressed me out was knowing when the salmon was done, it was harder than it seems. But for the most part this dish was easy and my family enjoyed!

Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands have a rich and unique culture. It is a mix of mostly pacific islanders. Christian Missionaries and king Kamehameha both affected the islanders. In the late 1800s the US annexed these Islands. All of these different people added something to the diet of the Islanders. Different fruits, meats and dishes. Chinese were imported for labor purposes and brought with them rice, soybeans and a variety of other foods. Also some Japanese came. Between the unique climate and this very eclectic mix of people, the food also turned out to be quite original, tofu is common and so is frying a pig over a pit.

The first dish i made was Hawaiian Chicken. It actually turned out to be a huge success in my house which was a pleasant surprise. It was quite simple to make, the only thing is that it was hard not to get the pineapple sauce too hot, so that the sugar didnt burn.

The other dish i made was Fried Rice. This dish was also pretty easy, and was actually a full meal for my family, which i didn't expect. Basically all this dish is is dumping a lot of stuff into rice and adding some flavoring. Delicious.

West and Southwest

The west has some of the largest cities in the USA but also is known for it's open fields. The food is generally simple consisting of meat, homemade breads, and 'locally grown fruits and vegetables'. Grilling and Barbecue is common. Pioneers, Native Americans, Mexicans and Spaniards influenced this region. The food is somewhat rich in flavor because of the Mexicans and Spaniards. The climate is also hot and sunny, which affects the food.

The first dish I made was Chicken Enchiladas. These were not too hard to make, they were pretty easy too. The only hard part was that when making the tortillas soft in oil, they got really hot and were hard to roll with bare hands. We devoured them though, the sauce is really tasty and as a whole the dish is quite filling.

The second dish was Spicy Potato Wedges. These were SUPER easy, all that was required was cuting up the potatoes and sprinkling them with spices. They were also extremely delicious and we devoured them :)