Many Meals

Longtime community meal volunteer Mary Ann with a meatloaf meal. She and all of the other dining room volunteers are amazing! Serving nonstop for two hours is hard work but they do it while smiling and taking the time to visit with our guests and make them feel welcome.

It was another very busy day at the Wednesday Community Meal. We served 372 meals during our two hour service at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Northwest Portland.

The entrees we served were meatloaf, pork spare ribs, pork short ribs, enchiladas, chile rellenos and vegetarian lasagna. It's typical that we change our menu at least three or four times during the meal because that's just what you have do do when you utilize gleaned and donated food to feed a crowd.

The pork short ribs were particularly popular with today's guests and were actually short rib trimmings that were donated by SP Provisions. We seasoned them with chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt and oregano, moistened them with a bit of tomato sauce and cooked them long and slow until they were very very tender. The meat pieces might not have been uniform in size but they were darn delicious and there were many requests for seconds.

In additon to the entrees, there was soup, salad and dessert — a full four-course meal,  free to everyone, no questions asked.

One of the side dishes we served today was roasted red potatoes with caramelized Walla Walla Sweet onions. The potatoes were gleaned from The Oregon Food Bank and the onions were gleaned from New Seasons Market.

Our dishwashing team is the best! They are the last to leave after a long day's work but never complain and even seem to have some fun. Craig helped keep things especially light today with his green hairdo in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The Evolution of Mac 'n Cheese

A serving of homemade mac 'n cheese. Also on the plate is barbecued chicken and roasted zucchini.

Guests at today's Wednesday Community Meal were treated to homemade mac 'n cheese. Each week, I have to decide what to make based on what's been gleaned, what's in the pantry and what's on sale. My aim is always to create something that's pleasing, nutritious and affordable.

So this week I decided to make mac 'n cheese and here's why:

Last Wednesday, we served cornbread donated by New Seasons Market with the soup and there were lots of extra crumbs left over, at least three cups worth. Volunteer Martha wrapped them, gave them to me, and asked, "Can you use these next week? I'd hate to throw them out." "Yes," I said, thinking they would make a great crispy topping for a casserole.

On Friday, volunteer Dave, who also volunteers at Lift Urban Portland, asked me if I could use some donated boxes of matzo crackers. I said, "yes," thinking if I crushed them, they would also be perfect for a crispy topping.

On Saturday, I catered a memorial reception and was gifted all of the leftover cheeses to use for the community meal. I immediately thought of using the cheese to make some yummy mac 'n cheese. There was medium cheddar, havarti, muenster, sharp cheddar and I already had some Swiss in the pantry fridge, gosh this was going to be good!

On Monday, while gleaning at New Seasons Market with my fellow community meal organizer, Fred, we picked up a few gallons of milk and some containers of chopped onions. My idea for mac 'n cheese was coming together nicely. I just needed a few more items.

On Tuesday, I went to Cash 'n' Carry and purchased two cases of dried macaroni, two more gallons of milk, fresh parsley and a box of roma tomatoes. For color and nutrition, I wanted to top the mac 'n cheese with sliced tomatoes. The total cost of the purchased ingredients was $43.25.

The mac 'n cheese came together wonderfully— volunteer Terri helped me make nine hotel pans of it and all of our guests got a taste. We served it as a main entree or as a side for everyone. We served 297 meals today.

Homemade Lasagna

When you glean fresh pasta sheets from two local businesses, how can you resist not making homemade lasagna? Fresh pasta isn't something we regularly pick up.

And, also knowing that I had two cases of Cascade Farms Beef still in the freezer really sealed the deal.

Yes, making lasagna for today's Wednesday Community Meal at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral felt meant to be.

The pasta donations from Phil's Uptown Meat Market and New Seasons Market and the beef from SP Provisions couldn't have come at a better time. It's the Wednesday before Valentine's Day and we wanted to treat our guests to an extra special meal. It worked out perfectly.

Of course we also served soup, salad, dessert and drinks. We served 283 meals today

A lasagna meal.

We have such a great team of hardworking volunteers who help pull the meal off each week. Anne has been a regular and dedicated volunteer since the beginning and I am grateful.

Rotating Entrees

If you join us at The Wednesday Community Meal, you'll quickly learn that our entrees are always a changing.

We seat six to a table and it's common for guests to have a different entree than their tablemates. And, that's just the way it has to be because most of the food we serve is gleaned from our community partners — Good Samaritan Hospital, Phil's Uptown Meat Market, Pizza Schmizza, Ken's Artisan Bakery, Grand Central Bakery, New Seasons Market, Trader Joe's, Starbucks, SP Provisions and The Oregon Food Bank.  Utilizing gleaned food serves two purposes, it keeps our costs down and it prevents perfectly good food from going to waste.

Our regular guests are so understanding of the quirky rotating entree part of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral's free for everyone meal. I've even been told that it adds a little excitement to their dining experience. 

"What you serve is always a surprise." said one of today's guests. "I thought I was going to get the ribs but I got turkey and that was pretty good."

The one thing that is consistent is that we always do our best to serve a delicious and nutritious meal. And, we strive to accommodate dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan and even gluten-free.

We served 279 meals today. Here are some of them:

The first guests in the door today got oven roasted chicken made by volunteer Terri. Oh my gosh it looked good, magazine cover good! The whole chicken was gleaned from Trader Joe's.

The barbecue ribs we served came from Good Samaritan Hospital.

The turkey also came from Good Samaritan Hospital. The potatoes came from The Oregon Food Bank and we made the kale and cabbage side dish from greens gleaned from New Seasons Market.

We made lamb meatballs from ground lamb from SP Provisions.

The chicken fried steak also came from SP Provisions.

Escaping The Rain

We tend to serve fewer guests at The Wednesday Community Meal when it's raining.

My theory is that those with housing or in a shelter opt to skip the wet trek to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and stay inside and dry. It's primarily our homeless guests who join us rain or shine.


There's been record breaking rain in Portland this week and our lower 251 meal number reflected that.

One guest who takes the time to visit with me for a few minutes each Wednesday said, "This rain has been really hard on me." And then he politely asked, "Do you think I could have some extra food to go?" I was happy to oblige since we had plenty and we were also granting requests for seconds in the dining room.

Our aim at the meal is always, if we have the food, let's do our best to accommodate everyone.

Most of the guests who joined us today got an Italian sausage on a roll with sides of baked potatoes, coleslaw and roasted apples. Later guests were served entrees of steak and mushrooms, chili rellenos and orange chicken. Everyone was also offered soup, salad, dessert and drinks.

A lunch ready to be served.  Since the baked potatoes were small, guests got two.

The desserts we served were donated by Trader Joe's and New Seasons Market.

Thankful For Our Community Partners

A leg of lamb ready for the oven. We seasoned it with garlic, kosher salt, pepper and fresh rosemary and the guests loved it.

The first guests at The Wednesday Community Meal today were treated to an entree of roasted leg of lamb, baked potato and sauteed zucchini.

The gorgeous lamb was generously donated to us by Lift Urban Portland and we were so lucky to have it, especially today when we served 413 meals during our two hour service and needed every single bit of food that we had.

After the lamb, we served chicken, another gift from Lift Urban Portland, that we coated with breadcrumbs, herbs and spices and baked until golden brown and crispy.

Next up were gifts from Good Samaritan Hospital — corned beef, salmon, orange chicken and pork.

Then it was onto treats from Phil's Uptown Meat Market, ribs (which are probably the most popular of everything we serve), roasted chicken and pasta and meatballs. We ended our community meal today with pizza donated by Pizza Schmizza.

In addition to the entrees, there was soup, salad, dessert and drinks which included cups of cold milk thanks to New Seasons Market on NW Raleigh. The newly opened store kindly has invited us to glean from them every Monday morning and this week we hit the organic milk jackpot. Our guests were very happy.

Because of our wonderful community partners were were able to feed everyone who came to our door a delicious, nutritious and well-rounded meal. We are indeed blessed.

A Hot And Busy Day

Volunteers Scarlett and Isla Blue helped in the hot kitchen today.

I need to thank all of the Wednesday Community Volunteers who came in to work today. It was a very busy day, we served 379 meal during our two hour service, and with the temperature outside being in the high 90's, it was extra hot and uncomfortable in the kitchen and dishwashing room. Thank you wonderful volunteers for pushing through!

Our poor guests were hot too. When we opened our doors at 11 a.m., there was a long line through the courtyard of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, going all the way out to the sidewalk on NW 19th Avenue.  Everyone was anxious to be able to come inside, eat and cool off. And, I'm pretty positive they especially liked the cold lemonade we served. 

Longtime regular volunteer Ann who has been helping since 2008 was constantly busy mixing and pouring lemonade into pitchers and she was diligent about putting ice in all of the batches so it would be nice and cold for our guests. Small details like adding ice, make a big difference and it's what we are all about at the Wednesday Community Meal — We strive to do our best to treat others the way we would want to be treated.

Most of the guests today got entrees of roasted turkey breast and gravy with sides of green beans, watermelon and rice that we tossed with sauteed kale and chard. Adding the veggies to the rice was a good way to utilize the fresh chard and kale that we gleaned form Spring Hill Organic Farm and also a good way to sneakily improve the diets of our guests.

Today's entree —  The watermelon was gleaned from The Oregon Food Bank and the rice is from Good Samaritan Hospital.

Gleaning from New Seasons Market this past Monday. All of the desserts we served today came from our haul from the newly opened store on NW Raleigh.

A South Of The Border Feast

Volunteers Justine and Rusti with today's lunch.

Guests at today's Wednesday Community Meal enjoyed homemade shredded pork and chicken enchiladas served with a side of chips, salsa and cold watermelon.

We made the enchiladas casserole-style using ingredients donated by the just-opened New Season's Market on NW Raleigh and ingredients purchased by Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Thank you New Season's for partnering with us to help feed the hungry in our community!

In addition to shredded pork and roasted chicken, they were filled with rice, black beans, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, carrot, kale, tomato and cheese. They were tasty, healthy and a hit in the dining room.

Roasted chicken for the enchiladas. We seasoned it with garlic, chili powder, cumin and Kosher salt.

Getting ready to mix the enchilada filling made with rice, shredded pork, roasted chicken, mushrooms, zucchini, black beans, tomatoes, kale, carrot, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and Kosher salt.

mmm.... homemade enchiladas!

Also a big hit, was the cold watermelon that our wonderful volunteer gleaners found at The Oregon Food Bank.  The watermelon was crisp, sweet and cooling, a real treat on a hot day.

In addition to the entree, everyone was offered soup, salad and dessert. The salads were especially nice and were made with a mix of lettuces, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, olives, homemade croutons and Parmesan cheese. Some of the tomatoes in the salads were even home-grown and just-picked thanks to Dan, our volunteer coffee barista, who kindly shares his garden's bounty.

Today's gorgeous salads were made by volunteers John and Leah.

We served 265 meals today.