Difference between American and U.K. food?

I’ve got some friends from England coming to stay with me in the United States. I’d like to cook them some typically American meals, and since they’ll be at my house I’ll be cooking. The problem is, so much of American dishes are variations from existing European meals. I’ve been looking the differences up, but they seem to run together; except for obvious differences like Welsh rabbit, Irish stew ect.

Any suggestions on what I should cook? I’m a Northerner so I don’t cook much Cajun food or Southwest/Mexican dishes. The only spicy Cajun dish I cook is Cajun fettuccine alfredo.

I’ve came up with some potential dishes that tend to be more American or at least have a different take of the meal than in Europe. How do any of these sound?:

Barbecued ribs and mashed potatoes
Parmesan baked chicken
Chicken cordon bleu casserole (ham, chicken, cheddar and noodles)
Pot roast w/ potatoes and carrots
That Cajun fettuccine alfredo
Hamburgers and fries or baked potatoes
Not really cooking, but have the ingredients to make their own tacos
Peach or apple cobbler
Grasshopper pie! (mint ice cream pie)

Any of these sound American enough for you? Thanks for your help!

What’s The Difference Between Creoles And Cajuns?

I was bored the other day and I got wondering about this. What the heck is the difference between Creoles and Cajuns? And please note I’m talking about the cultures, NOT the food.

What Is The Difference Between Cajun And Creole Food?

I lived in New Orleans for a few years and here’s what I saw as the difference/similarities.
Creole cooking is influenced by French, Spanish, French Caribbean, African, and American.
Cajun is mainly influenced by French since Cajuns are decendants of the French Acadians. Also, Cajun food is more country cooking (rustic as some would describe it) using what can be hunted.
However, the two cultures/cuisines pretty much share the same influences being in Southern Louisiana living side-by-side, as a result the cuisines are more similar than different.
I have to disgree with the previous poster.
Creole food is typically the upscale food – Arnaud’s, Antoine’s, Brennan’s and Commander’s Palace are all “Creole” restaurants. These are fancy high ticket restaurants.

What’s The Difference Between Cajun And Creole Food?

Creoles are descended from the French Aristocrats & Spanish who settled into early New Orleans/LA. Later they intermarried and breed with the African Americans and Native Americans in the area. A blend of French, Spanish, Native American, and African American (cooking wise)
Cajuns came along later. Cajuns were FRENCH peasant farmers and fishermen who origianlly settled in the “new world” in Acadie (now known as Nova Scotia) and were later expelled be the british and were eventually given lands by above said Creoles in New Orleans. These were swamplands in a general area of the southwest of LA – which has now become know as Acadiana. In Nova Scotia and in “Acadiana” the Acadians (or ‘cadiens – Cajuns) had to live off the lands to survive hence the more peasant like foods. They too melded with the exisisting locals and Cajuns foods have a touch of African American And native influences too.
by the way – Cajuns have very very few food dishes with Tomatoes in them I hate seeing restaurants around the world call something Cajun and it is full of tomatoes- yuck Shrimp Gumbo with a bunch tomatoes