Pretty And Tasty

Our elegantly plated lunch. In addition to the burrito, guests got soup, dessert and drinks.

We served one of our best lunches today at the Wednesday Community Meal — A handmade burrito full of rice, chili beans, salsa and cheese; blanched asparagus tossed with a lemon vinaigrette; and oven roasted tomatoes topped with seasoned panko and Parmesan cheese.

The lunch was as pretty as it was tasty and made our guests happy.

It takes work and careful consideration for our meals to come together. Here's a brief timeline of today's lunch:

Last Wednesday Afternoon:

After our work is done preparing, serving and cleaning up from the Wednesday meal, my fellow volunteers and I begin asking, "what can we make next week?"

We remember we have frozen salsa from the Oregon Food Bank and put it in the refrigerator to defrost so we can utilize it next week.

Monday Evening:

Volunteer Elizabeth calls to tell me that she is bringing in lots of tomatoes donated from her neighbor's garden. She also says she will bring some boxes of panko for us to use.

Tuesday Morning:

Volunteer Dave is picking up our order at the Oregon Food Bank and calls to say that he can also get some cases of "good looking asparagus" if we want it for Wednesday. Of course I say, "yes".


Tuesday Afternoon:

Volunteer Cheryl calls to say that we have lots of cooked rice gleaned from Good Samaritan Hospital.  We agree that we can jazz it up with the salsa, beans and cheese to make a burrito filling.

Wednesday Morning:

It's before 8 a.m. and I'm shopping at Cash 'n' Carry for the extras we need to create our meal. I buy tortillas, chili beans and cheese. I also pick up a few bags of coleslaw in case we run short of asparagus.

By 10 a.m. the burrito filling is made, the asparagus washed and cut and the tomatoes halved and topped with panko and cheese. Volunteers Jeff and Gwen begin wrapping the burritos and our lunch is right on schedule.

Jeff and Gwen on burrito wrapping duty. Volunteering at the Wednesday Community Meal is hard work but it's also fun. Look at that beautiful bowl of asparagus all washed and cut.

We served 286 meals today.

Now, what are we going to make next week?