American chefs/ TV cooking shows

[NewToRenting]

My 13yo is getting quite interested in baking, and often tries out Nigella's or Nadiya's recipes (after watching their shows) - mostly cakes and cookies. She can't/ won't do anything hugely complicated.

We are planning to visit family in the States in the summer (pandemic situation permitting, fingers crossed!). Wonder if anyone could recommend any American TV chefs/ shows she could watch and whose recipes she could try out over there, alongwith her (much younger) cousins. Looking for American as ingredients will translate more easily. Simple and straightforward recipes would be a big plus!

Stella parks recipes on SeriousEats.com are great, and she has some great tips which can be incorporated into her general baking knowledge. Few of her recipes are complicated, and the ones that are are things which like homemade versions of pop tarts or other mass market American baked goods.

The Barefoot Contessa is always fab, but she is more than just baking.

Also good is Martha Stewart.

Alongside trying American recipes, I wonder if your DD might want to introduce her cousins to British bakes? Maybe something easy like flapjack (hard to get golden syrup in America so maybe bring a small tin)?

Sorry, realised that I hadn't answered your question. I like America's Test Kitchen or Cooks Illustrated for foolproof 'best recipes. Also lots of food bloggers like smitten kitchen, brown eyed baker, my baking addiction. I think some of them have online videos.

Thanks so much both, I should have specified, videos would be a big plus. But I will definitely check out these websites. I had forgotten about Ina! British bakes is a good thought too, will ask her to make a list.

I am not too keen to translate (for example) double cream, single cream, sour cream, sourED cream and so on into equivalent American terms....and the resulting 'Mummyyyy how do I....' calls from the kitchen!!

Am also trawling through previous MN threads to make a list of 'must try' foods while out there!

I've lived in the USA and always cooked British recipes. Ingredients are usually easily obtainable especially from trader joes

Martha Stewart is the US equivalent of our Delia - reliable, tried and tested so has countless faultless recipes covering all aspects of cooking. America’s Test Kitchen also has TV shows over there and also offers foolproof recipes, although they are not free on their website as they rely on books, magazine and online subscriptions for funding.
I would suggest looking at the American Good Housekeeping Cookery Bible too for traditional ‘home style’ recipes.
In the meantime I would suggest you read up recipes on Pinterest - but be careful to only read and try the recipes from those listed above or recognised American restaurant or tv chefs as there are millions of wannabe home cooks who publish their own because then you can find yourself going down the rabbit hole of untested time wasting recipes.

One thing to note when converting is that there are only 16ozs in a US pint (as opposed to 20 ozs in a UK pint)
Most measurements are in cup sizes which are US measuring cups filled to the top then dry ingredients levelled off with a knife.
Have fun!

Does your dd have TikTok? Lots of foodie videos on there and the instructions are quick because TikTok videos are obviously pretty short.

Definitely Ina Garten! She's very accessible - though a tad precious about boutique ingredients - and her recipes really reliably work, unlike Martha Stewart who I find a bit hit and miss, particularly with baking recipes.

And, although tiresome, you can use spoon measures to dupe cup measures...

2 tbsp is 1/8 of a cup, 4 tbsp is 1/4 cup, 5 tbsp + 1 tsp is 1/3 cup, 8 tbsp is 1/2 cup, 16 tbsp is a cup

The King Arthur Flour website is great. Lots of different recipes.

Thank you, lots of great suggestions. I will get her to start 'researching' and making a list. She does have TikTok, but it's so hard to keep her off it (and SnapChat), so will probably give that a miss for this particular purpose!
I am quite looking forward to sending the kiddies off to the kitchen and enjoying the fruits of their labours

Thanks for the tips about the measurements. I'm hoping my family over there already has the American size measuring cups, spoons etc, if not will buy.

Joy the Baker is great!

Just had a look around on Joy the Baker website, looks good. Thanks so much!