Huli-Huli Pork via Laura Cuff via Laura's mom via Better Homes and Gardens

With a little preparation, this is a quick, easy dinner recipe. I would think you could marinate tofu, chicken or turkey breasts, or pork chops, as well as the tenderloin. You'd just want to adjust the portions/times a little.

Laura says: "It's super easy, you just marinate overnight and grill the next day. I usually serve it with rice, as an excuse to eat more of the sauce, but it's pretty good with oven fried potatoes as well. Here it is. I only do one tenderloin at a time, but make the full amount of sauce, enough so that there's some to go with the leftover pork. Also, Prime adds some hickory chips to smoke it up a bit, which makes it absolutely delish!"

Ingredients:
* 2 pork tenderloins (1-1.25 lb each)
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
* 3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
* 3 Tbsp lime juice or sweet mirin cooking wine
* 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
* 4 cloves crushed garlic
* Lime wedges and fresh herbs to serve (I've never done this)

Place pork in a large heavy self-sealing plastic bag. Set in dish if you're worried about leaks.

In small bowl combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger and garlic. Reserve 3/4 cup, cover and chill until needed. Pour remaining marinade over pork and seal bag, removing all air. Refridgerate 4-24 hours, turning occasionally.

Let pork sit at room temperature 10-15 minutes before grilling. Drain pork, reserve marinade for basting. For charcoal grill, arrange hot coals around drip pan. Place pork on grill rack over pan. Cover and grill over medium-high heat for 20 min. Brush with marinade from bag, turn and grill 15-20 more minutes. (For gas, preheat grill, reduce heat to medium high. Adjust for indirect cooking. Grill as above.)

Remove pork from grill. Cover with foil and let rest 10 mintues before slicing. Pork will finish cooking under foil.

Meanwhile, heat reserved marinade in small saucepan; bring to boiling, transfer to serving dish. Pass sauce with pork. Serve with lime wedges and fresh herbs.

Chocolate Amaretto Cake: Carla's Most Favorite Cake

I haven't had the opportunity to make this yet, but Carla sent the recipe to me and it looks SCRUMPTIOUS...so I figured I'd just go ahead and post it, knowing it was going to be good. Carla's a baking partner from way back, so I totally trust her on this one. I look forward to making it some cold winter day.

She says: "Instead of taking the time to make it into a layer cake I usually use a trifle dish, alternating cake and frosting. It's VERY chocolatey, so I like to add a layer home-made whipped cream in the middle and on top. It also makes the cake prettier."

Ingredients:
* Nonstick vegetable oil spray
* 1 18.25-ounce package devil's food cake mix
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 12 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
* 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 18 ounces)
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup whipping cream
* 2/3 cup sour cream1 cup powdered sugar

* 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Combine cake mix, 1 1/3 cups water, eggs, oil, 3 tablespoons amaretto, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Mix in 1 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. Brush each cake layer with 2 tablespoons amaretto.

Combine butter and cream in medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 cups chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Mix in remaining 3 tablespoons amaretto. Cool until barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, then powdered sugar. Refrigerate frosting just until thick enough to spread, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Press nuts around bottom 2 inches of cake. Chill 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.)

Mom's Potluck Salad

Mom brings this to a lot of potlucks. It's really tasty and easy to make and transport. It's good on its own, but I like to sometimes eat it with the "scoops" tortilla chips, too.

Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
* 1-15 oz can black beans
* 1-15 oz. cannellini beans
* 1-c. frozen peas thawed
* 1/4 c. chopped red onion
* 1/4 c. shredded basil
* 4-oz. smoked fresh mozzarella cubed
* 12-cherry/grape/pear tomatoes, halved
* 1/2 c. bottled vinaigrette (Mom uses balsamic)
* salt & pepper to taste

Drain and rinse the beans. Stir all ingredients together and it's ready to go!