Wow. I only missed this by a week? ;- My apologies Maureen, my life's been a little topsy-turvy lately and my time on these forums is pretty limited. Puerco Asado (Pork Roast) is a classic Cuban dish. I highly recommend you first try the quintessential Cuban Garlic Sauce, Mojo Criollo (Moho Cree-o-yo). Make extra if you like, because it'll last for weeks, refrigerated, and you can use the sauce over pork, chicken and it's also served over root vegetables, like yuca (cassava). Mojo Criollo 10 cloves garlic 1 medium onion, thinly sliced ½ cup sour orange, or ½ cup sweet orange juice and ¼ cup each fresh lime and lemon juice ½ cup pure olive oil Use a mortal and pestle or a food processor to crush the garlic and salt to form a paste (If using a food processor, make sure to keep it running when you drop the garlic in, so none of the cloves get buried under the blade. Combine the garlic paste, onion and sour orange juice. You can refrigerate it at this point, or, leave it at room temperature for up to 1 hour. Before you're ready to serve the mojo, heat the oil over medium-high heat, in a medium-size pan until hot, but not too hot or it will splatter when you add the Mojo. Add the garlic sauce, stir quickly and serve hot. For a Cuban Pork Roast, you'll want to start this the night before serving. You can use a 4-5 lb. leg or shoulder of pork, a boneless pork tenderloin or if you're feeling really adventurous, a Lechón, which is a whole Suckling Pig. Puerco Asado 5-6 pound leg or shoulder of pork 10 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon salt ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup sour orange, or ½ cup sweet orange juice and ¼ cup each fresh lime and lemon juice ½ cup dry sherry 2-3 large onions, thinly sliced freshly ground black pepper Pierce the meat all over with the tip of a knife. With a mortar and pestle, or food processor, combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt and mash into a paste. Rub the paste into pork and into the slits. Sprinkle generously with the black pepper. Add the sour orange juice, olive oil, sherry and onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat several times. Four or five hours before serving, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry, reserving the marinade. Roast the pork, always with the skin side up, in an aluminum foil lined roasting pan. Roast 1 hour, turning to brown on all sides. Insert a meat thermometer. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F, pour the reserved marinade over it and cover loosely. Cook for another 3-4 hours, basting frequently, until meat registers an internal temperature of about 160°F. You don't want to go over 160°F because once the pork is removed from the oven, and allowed to rest, the residual heat will continue cooking the meat. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of roasting. Remove the roast from the oven, and allow it to rest, covered, about 20 minutes before carving. Serve with Mojo Criollo, and the traditional sides: Black Beans and White Rice, or Congrí; Tostones (Fried Green [not ripe] Plantains) or Yuca con Mojo. Enjoy Maureen. Sol

Hi there, from a fellow Minnesotan! I like the idea of three bean salad, and you could easily put that together in a hotel room and the day before! How about picking up a cold shrimp cocktail from the supermarket deli? Or a pound cake and some strawberries for dessert? Here ae a couple more ideas to add to your list of considerations: White Corn Salad 2c frozen shoepeg white corn 3/4c chopped roma tomato 1/2 c chopped cucumber 2T chopped green bell pepper 3T white wine vinegar 1-1/2 tsp olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard tsp salt 1/8 tsp ground black pepper 1 clove garlic, minced Combine vegetables in bowl, toss. Combine remaining ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Pour over corn mixture and toss well. Serves 4 From Cooking Light magazine, date unknown Make the orzo for this one before leaving home and just kkep it chilled in a zip lock bag. Greek Orzo Salad 1c uncooked orzo 2c chopped cucumber 1\-1/2c cherry tomatoes, quartered 1c feta cheese,crumbled 1/2c chopped onion 1/2c chopped fresh parsley 1/2c chopped black olives 2tsp salt 1/4tsp pepper Dressing: 1/3c extra virgin olive oil 1/3c lemon juice 1tsp minced garlic ½ tsp salt 1/4tsp pepper Cook orzo, cool, place in bowl with prepared vegetables. Toss with dressing and chill If you can keep the fruit cold, you could make this in your hotel room, too. Super easy! Sunny Fruit Fiesta 1 cantaloupe, halved and seeded ½ honeydew, seeded 1/4c sugar 1/4c fresh lime juice 2T fresh lemon juice 1T orange-flavored liqueur (optional) 1-1/2 tsp grated lime zest 1c fresh sliced strawberries 1c black or red seedless grapes Using a melon ballr scoop cantaloupe and honeydew into balls, set aside. or just cut fruit into bite size chunks In large glass or ceramic bowl, combine sugar, lime juice, lemon juice liqueur and lime zest. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Add fruit and toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour to blend flavors, stirring once or twice. Spoon the fruit mixture into serving bowls or hollowed out melon halves, dividing evenly. Serves 6. **For a tropical version, substitute kiwi slices, papaya or pineapple chunks, or mango cubes. Add a little grated fresh ginger, and maybe a dash of coconut extract. Linda

Here's a recipe I found this morning on the Food & Drink website. SLOW-BARBECUED CARIBBEAN PORK EARLY SUMMER 2007 By: Jennifer MacKenzie Braised to moist tenderness with Island seasonings, pork shoulder roast is not only economical, it's robust with flavour. If using a gas barbecue, more than 1 burner is essential to cook with indirect heat. If your barbecue doesn't have a built-in thermometer, place an oven thermometer on the unlit side beside the roast to be sure the temperature is maintained. The oven version is just as tasty and easy. Cut roast into thin slices and serve on roti, tortillas or buns and top with fresh, colourful Mango Salsa and Chili Potato Wedges (recipes follow). 4 lb (2 kg) boneless pork shoulder blade (butt) roast, tied 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp (25 mL) minced fresh ginger root 2 tbsp (25 mL) packed brown sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh hot pepper 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried thyme 1 tsp (5 mL) ground allspice 1 tsp (5 mL) salt ½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon 1 cup (250 mL) coconut milk ¼ cup (50 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice 1. Place roast in a large foil pan (for barbecue) or a roasting pan (for oven). Combine garlic, ginger, sugar, hot pepper, thyme, allspice, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the coconut milk. Spread all over roast. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, preheat the barbecue to high or oven to 350°F (180°C). 3. Combine remaining coconut milk and lime juice and pour around roast in pan. Cover entire pan with foil, sealing tightly around pan but not touching roast. 4. If barbecuing, turn 1 side of barbecue off and reduce other burner(s) to medium-high or temperature required to maintain 350°F (180°C). Place pan on unlit side of barbecue or place in oven. Grill or roast for 2 to ½ hours. 5. Uncover and baste roast with pan juices. Grill or roast, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes longer, basting twice more, until fork tender and a meat thermometer reads 170°F (75°C). Tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. 6. Transfer roast to a cutting board, discarding pan juices. Cut off strings and cut roast into thin slices. Serve with Mango Salsa and Chili Potato Wedges. Serves 8 Mango Salsa This fresh and tangy salsa is the perfect complement to the pork. It is best made just before serving but can be covered but can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours. 2 firm ripe mangos 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lime zest 2 tbsp (25 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro 1 tsp (5 mL) minced fresh hot peppers (or to taste) ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt 1. Peel mango and cut flesh from pits. Dice flesh and place in a bowl. Add lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, hot pepper and salt. Toss gently to combine. Taste and check seasonings. Makes about 2 cups (500 mL) Chili Potato Wedges Traditional foil-packet barbecued potatoes get a boost that will liven up any barbecue meal. Ancho chili powder is increasingly available and gives a nice chili flavour without overpowering heat. If you like a smoky heat, add ¼ tsp (1 mL) chipotle pepper powder to the butter mixture. The zesty dip is easily put together as the crispy-crusted potatoes cook. 3 lbs (1.5 kg) baking potatoes (russet or Yukon gold) ¼ cup (50 mL) butter, softened 1½ tsp (7 mL) ancho or other chili powder 1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt or kosher salt ¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper Dip 1 cup (250 mL) sour cream or mayonnaise 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lime zest ¼ tsp (1 mL) ancho or other chili powder 1. Preheat the barbecue to medium-high or oven to 350ºF (180ºC). 2. Scrub potatoes under running water. Pat dry and cut each lengthwise into 8 wedges. Place on a large piece of heavy-duty foil. 3. Mash butter, chili powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Drop in small dollops randomly over potatoes on foil. Top with another large piece of foil and seal both pieces together with a tightly crimped edge. Slide onto a baking sheet. 4. Slide packet off baking sheet onto grill or place on sheet in oven. Grill or bake for 30 minutes, gently shaking packet a few times and flipping over halfway. Carefully unseal a small section and check potatoes with a fork to ensure they are tender. If not, reseal and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer. 5. Meanwhile, make dip. Combine sour cream, lime zest and chili powder in a serving bowl. 6. Let potatoes stand for 5 minutes. Open packet and, using a lifter, remove potatoes from foil (you may have to scrape the crispy ones) and transfer to a serving platter. Serve dip on the side. Serves 8

Traditional trifle doesn't have a cookie layer, it has a sponge cake layer. You can make a GF sponge cake easily. This recipe is pretty well bomb-proof, I have given it to people who are positive they can't make a sponge cake and they've been pleasantly surprised: No Fail Sponge Cake 4 eggs, separated 3/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar 1 cup GF cornstarch 2 tsp GF baking powder 1 tsp vanilla Grease and line two deep 8" cake pans. Preheat oven to 350F. Stir baking powder into cornstarch. Whip egg whites until soft peaks appear, then gradually beat in sugar until stiff and glossy. With a metal spoon, fold in egg yolks and vanilla, then fold in cornstarch mixture. Pour batter into pans and bake about 30 minutes, or until cake is springy and starting to pull away from the sides of the pans. Immediately turn out of the pans onto cake racks to cool. You can freeze any unneeded cake for later.