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Lifted by leftovers

Every week, volunteers with Feed Spokane round up food from area restaurants that is used to help feed the hungry

Maurice Smith, left, the executive director of Feed Spokane, gets help from Davenport Hotel banquet chef Bryan Franz as he picks up leftover food from a recent weekend.  (Christopher Anderson / The Spokesman-Review)
Virginia De Leon Correspondent

Leftovers from several Spokane restaurants are now helping feed thousands of hungry people in Spokane.

The homeless at New Hope Ranch sometimes eat roast beef sandwiches and breaded chicken fillets from Arby’s. At least once a month, women in transition at Hope House gets burritos from GoGo Burrito in north Spokane. And the poor who find refuge at Truth Ministries and other shelters often enjoy the leftover prime rib, salmon and other delicious offerings donated by the banquet kitchen at the Davenport Hotel.

Every week, volunteers with Feed Spokane collect an average of 1,000 pounds of food from area restaurants and deliver it to meal sites and shelters.

“We are working to eliminate waste and hunger,” said Maurice Smith, the nonprofit’s executive director. “Much of the food that we are now receiving is in perfectly good condition but sometimes the lack of coordination has led people to throw it away.”

On a recent morning, Smith drove to two Arby’s restaurants in Spokane and collected nearly 100 pounds of frozen prepared food – 50 roast beef sandwiches, about 40 pounds of breaded chicken fillets and another 40 pounds of chicken nuggets.

“When I see this, I think protein,” said Smith. “We’re trying to move from a carbohydrate-starch diet for people in need to a protein diet to help improve their overall health. … Protein and vegetables are the two holy grails of food rescue.”

Instead of tossing leftovers into the dumpsters, 22 restaurants and catering facilities in Spokane now freeze their unserved meals and save them for Feed Spokane. Almost every day, Smith drives all over town to “rescue” the food and bring them to House of Charity, Shalom Ministries and about two dozen other places where the poor can eat a free meal.

Although the Davenport staff works hard to minimize waste, leftovers are often inevitable after weddings, banquets and other events, said Bryan Franz, executive chef of the hotel’s banquet facility.

“Part of hospitality is never running short,” he explained.

So his staff usually errs on having too much instead of too little. Depending on the menu, Franz estimates that the average person eats almost a pound of food during a meal. For a large “full-blown” buffet that may include four proteins, three starches and a dozen different desserts, individuals consume close to 1 1/4 pounds. Some guests, however, will eat less than the estimated average so there’s often some leftovers in the kitchen. After a party, that food is then stored in the freezer until it’s picked up by Feed Spokane.

According to Smith, the Davenport’s banquet facility has donated close to a ton of food each month. “It has been impressive,” he said. “The food is such high quality – we’re talking things like chicken breasts, 30 pounds of prime rib roast the week after Mother’s Day, salmon, seafood, a lot of beef…”

After Cinco de Mayo, for instance, the Davenport gave Feed Spokane an abundance of shredded chicken machaca, which was then used to make sandwiches for the poor. The nonprofit also receives a regular supply of coffee cakes and other pastries leftover from breakfast. Whatever’s left on the carving station – turkey, pork loin, ham – is also donated to Feed Spokane.

Since the hotel’s banquet menu contains more than 300 items, the people at Feed Spokane’s meal sites also benefit from the variety.

“All the food we make for our clients is the highest quality,” said Franz, who also cooks meals for the hotel’s employee cafeteria using some of the leftover food.

Working with Feed Spokane has been a good experience for him and others at the Davenport. He hopes to spend some time visiting with the people at the meal sites where leftovers from the hotel kitchen are served.

Feed Spokane started three years ago as an outreach of the Thursday night sack dinners that are offered by Spokane Neighborhood Action Program in the East Central neighborhood. When organizers of the weekly meal started looking for additional sources of food, Smith and others who took part in the meetings discovered that leftover food was available at area restaurants and establishments but there was no system in place to take that food and bring it to the hungry in Spokane.

“Up until now, no one has addressed how we can rescue that food and get it in the hands of the people who need it the most,” said Smith.

In order to make sure that the food they collect and then serve remains safe, the Feed Spokane coalition invited a representative from the Spokane Regional Health District to sit on its steering committee as well as to provide guidance to volunteers, Smith said.

Basically, here’s how food rescue works: Restaurants freeze their leftovers in order to prevent spoilage. Volunteers then collect the frozen food and deliver it to meal sites, where it’s later reheated and served immediately. Feed Spokane also stores food in three upright freezers located at Truth Ministries.

Since Feed Spokane became a separate nonprofit entity a year ago, nearly two dozen restaurants have become involved with its efforts. In addition to Arby’s and the Davenport, some of those restaurants and banquet facilities include Centerplate at the Spokane Convention Center, which often gives boxed lunches and other meals to Feed Spokane; the Satellite Diner in downtown Spokane, which recently donated some soup and croissants; and the Spokane chapter of the Washington State Restaurant Association, which has encouraged its members to get involved.

Smith hopes to eventually coordinate restaurants with ministries and charities in their vicinity with his “Adopt-A-Meal Site” campaign. This would reduce gas expenses, he explained, as well as expedite the process of bringing food to the hungry. He also envisions the creation of meal sites similar to the Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant, a nonprofit that serves nutritious meals to low-income women and children at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in north Spokane.

“This has been a personal journey on how real the need is in Spokane,” said Smith. “If it weren’t for this food, some families would go hungry. … For some people out there, they work for a living and have an income, but life is still tough. To have a clean and safe place to bring their kids for a nutritious meal would mean a lot.”

Here are some ways to use up leftovers and reduce waste at home:

Recipe Goldmine is a Web site includes hundreds of ideas for using leftovers. It is at www.recipegoldmine. com/leftovers/leftovers.html

Biscuits: Split in half and spread each cut side with butter. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley, dill weed and shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted.

Cereal: Crush the cereal well, dip chicken pieces into egg wash, then roll in the crushed cereal. Bake according to your favorite oven-baked chicken recipe.

Chili: Reheat and spoon over cooked hamburger patties. Top with shredded Monterey jack cheese and sour cream. Serve over hot cooked rice. Or, warm leftover chili, then put into taco shells. Add shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream.

Coffee: Freeze leftover coffee in cubes to cool off hot coffee. Add black coffee to pot roast to create a rich, brown gravy.

Halloween Candy: Take all the pure chocolate candy and break it up into little pieces. Put into a zip-top bag. Many recipes call for a cup to a cup and a half of chocolate morsels (at $1.75 to $2.50 per bag). Use these to replace the morsels.

Ham: Use diced in Denver omelets. Julienne and use in a chef’s salad. Add to scalloped potatoes.

Make ham kebabs by threading large ham chunks onto skewers, alternating with fresh pineapple chunks and squares of sweet red or green bell pepper. Brush kebabs with butter and grill until browned. Serve with rice and fresh asparagus.

Arrange alternate layers of mashed potatoes, sliced onion and sliced ham in greased casserole; add hot milk to cover. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are done.

Cut ham in slivers; mix with cooked macaroni and white sauce. Place ingreased casserole; sprinkle with plenty of sharp cheese and buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Brown the last bits of cooked ham in a small amount of butter or margarine in skillet. Pour in scrambled egg mixture. Scramble as usual over low heat.

To make a strata, grease a small casserole and arrange with thin slices of bread, thin slices of cheese, slivered ham in layers. Pour over 1 cup milk, 1 egg and seasonings, beaten together. Bake in 350-degree oven until puffed and brown.

Ham slices: Heat ham slices with your favorite barbecue sauce and serve on rolls.

Meatballs: Slice meatballs. Sauté bell pepper strips until crisp-tender, then add the meatball slices to the pan to heat through. Use as a sandwich filling for French or Italian bread, adding warmed spaghetti sauce as desired.

Meatloaf: Blend a can of cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup with 3/4 cup milk. Spread about 1/3 of this on the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer slices of leftover meat loaf and mashed potatoes over this. Top with the remaining soup mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Oatmeal: Add cooked oatmeal to pancake or muffin batter.

Pancakes: Sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture, then roll up and eat.

Pie dough: Roll dough very thin, dot with butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up, slice off 1-inch pieces and bake flat side down.

Poultry: Make it into a sandwich filling by mincing or grinding the meat, then mixing it with onions, celery, pickles and salad dressing.

Punch: Make smoothies by mixing with canned fruit in a blender. Add yogurt or ice cream for variety.

Roast beef: Cut into 1/4-inch slices. Dip into beaten egg, then into dry bread crumbs. Fry the slices in oil or butter until hot and golden.

Put beef into a slow cooker with some canned green chilies, a little cumin, a little garlic, and a little water. Cook until the beef is easily shredded, then use as a taco or burrito filling. Or, top meat slices with cooked onions and peppers and provolone cheese; serve on hoagie rolls.

Roast pork: Cut into slivers and add to a vegetable stir-fry.

Salmon: Combine chunks of salmon with chopped sweet pickles and diced onions for a great sandwich filling.

Sloppy Joe meat: Make an omelet using leftover sloppy Joes. Spread reheated meat over omelet, sprinkle with your favorite cheese, fold, cook until cheese melts, then serve. Or, spread it over toasted English muffin halves, top with slices of American cheese and broil just until the cheese melts.

Spaghetti noodles: Chop; add diced raw vegetables and enough bottled Italian dressing to coat. Makes a wonderful salad.

Steak: Heat slices of steak with sour cream, diced onions, garlic, pepper, 1 can cream of mushroom soup and enough water to make a nice sauce. Serve over egg noodles. Or, slice meat very thin, then heat up in a skillet with sliced green bell pepper, slivered onion and fajita seasoning. Serve in warmed flour tortillas as fajitas.

Stollen: Use leftover stollen for bread pudding.

Taco meat: Put a layer of tater rounds in a baking dish. Bake according to package instructions. Top with taco meat and mozzarella cheese. Bake until the meat is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Warm the seasoned taco meat in a skillet, then add flour to form a paste. Stir in milk to make a savory gravy to serve over biscuits.

Use any leftover fixings in addition to the taco meat – chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, refried beans, salsa, etc. Add to a can of chili beans, add a little seasoning, if needed, and cook until mixture has thickened.

Turkey: Combine turkey, gravy and dressing. Put into a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until golden.

Wild Rice: Add to soups, salads or scrambled eggs.

Wine: Freeze leftover wine into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

Chicken Machaca

From Bryan L. Franz, executive chef for banquets, Davenport Hotel

2 ounces vegetable oil

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup poblano chilies, chopped

1 quart chicken stock

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 3-by-3-inch pieces

1 teaspoon dark chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Heat a 4-quart pot over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil and sauté onion and chilies until onion is translucent. Carefully add 1 quart chicken stock to the pot.

Add chicken breast, chili powder, cumin, a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Simmer until chicken is cooked and the liquid is reduced.

Chicken should shred easily with a fork.

This goes great with your favorite toppings wrapped in a tortilla. Franz also recommends chilling the machaca, mixing with shredded queso fresco and cilantro and serving small amounts on toast points.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Veal Saltimbocca

From Bryan L. Franz, executive chef for banquets, Davenport Hotel

2 ounces veal loin

Pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 ounce grated Swiss cheese

8 toasted pine nuts

Thin sliced prosciutto

1 sprig fresh chopped sage

Pound out veal loin into a flat square shape. Season meat with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Sprinkle with grated Swiss cheese, toasted pine nuts, prosciutto and sage. Roll up, and pick with a tooth pick. Sauté in butter, then braise with either white wine (traditional), Madeira (Franz’s favorite) or dry Marsala.

This goes great with a wild mushroom risotto or over a nice portion of sautéed spinach.

Yield: 1 serving

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

The Web site www.leftoverchef.com allows you to search for recipes by indicating which main ingredient you have at hand – chicken or pork, for instance – and then adding one or more secondary ingredients, depending on what you have in your fridge or pantry. Here’s a recipe from the site.

Basic Leftover Casserole

Adapted from www.leftoverchef.com

3 cups cooked pasta or rice

2 cups leftover cooked chicken or turkey or beef

2 cups frozen vegetables

3 tablespoons butter

1 chopped onion (see note)

1 to 3 minced cloves garlic

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk or 1 cup milk and 1 to 2 cups sharp grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional seasonings: Nutmeg, for cheese sauce; curry powder; sherry, white wine or vermouth (1/4 cup or less); Italian seasoning or Cajun spices.

Take the pasta or rice, meat and veggies and put them into a 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Make the sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until softened. Add the flour and stir until completely mixed into a thick paste. Add the milk and slowly bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook just until thick.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the sauce from the heat. Add cheese if making a cheese sauce. Stir until melted. Add desired seasonings to taste. Pour over top of casserole mixture and stir gently until mixed well. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Note: Pearl onions, shallots or sliced leeks can be used if you have them.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Virginia de Leon is a Spokane-based freelance writer. Reach her at Virginia_de_leon@yahoo.com.