COEUR d'ALENE - Twice a week, Yvonne Mac Donald orders three helpings of Mulligan's stew from the Coeur d'Alene Best Western Inn restaurant on Appleway.

The hearty stew, whipped up by Mulligan's Chef Gene Tillman, is loaded with beef, carrots, potatoes and peas - a real homestyle, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

"It has everything I need," said Mac Donald, who lives in Coeur d'Alene. "It's not real salty. And I pretty much survive on it."

Aside from a few ginger thins and the occasional treat, the 81-year-old eats only Mulligan's stew. She stores it in her refrigerator, spoons out a small portion whenever she's hungry, and enjoys the stew in the comfort of her own home.

"Stew's always been good for you," said Steve Wilson, general manager of the Coeur d'Alene Inn. "That's kind of the signature of the restaurant. That's (Chef Gene's) secret recipe, and he makes the stew himself."

It's delicious, Mac Donald said - full of protein and other nutrients. And because she uses disposable bowls, she never has to wash dishes when she's done.

"One of the (orders) will last me for several meals," Mac Donald said.

She worked in the Forest Service for 30 years and now receives a government annuity - enough to cover her Mulligan's bills.

Every so often she'll eat a little dark chocolate. And sometimes, when she's out running errands, Mac Donald will buy a corn dog from Safeway, her favorite indulgence.

But mostly it's all stew, all the time - and Mac Donald never grows weary of it.

"The potatoes and veggies and everything in the Mulligan's stew does the job," she said. "And I really appreciate it."

Mac Donald and Chef Gene have known each other for many years. She described him as a "really nice guy, a wonderful chef."

"It makes you feel proud that you serve a product that somebody can stand to eat every meal, every day," Wilson said.

Mac Donald said she never grows weary of the Mulligan's stew.

"It just tastes better every time. When you find something really good, it doesn't even get tiresome."