Clare Mackey Chili

 By Kathryn Washburn Breighner


This is a treasured family recipe. I cut it out of the Detroit Free Press years ago and have no clue what drew me to this odd blend of ingredients. It was called "Clare Mackey Stew" after the wife of a Michigan politician. 

When our sons were in school, we would haul gallons of this to ski meets and it would wow people. Everyone called it a chili. No one could guess the secret ingredient: apples.

Once or twice a year, a friend will ask for the recipe for "Clare Mackey" as it was affectionately called at the ski meets.  We would show up for the tailgate party and people would ask "Did you bring Clare Mackey?" It's that good.

½ pound dried red kidney beans
1 lb. pound breakfast sausage
1 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch chunks
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 T chili powder
1 ½ t dried mustard
15 oz. tomato sauce
sour cream for garnish

Soak kidney beans overnight. Drain, cover with water and cook over low heat until the skin begins to break but the beans are still slightly hard. Drain beans reserving 2 cups of the liquid.

In a large heavy pot, brown breakfast sausage breaking into 1" pieces. When the sausage is pink, add the chopped onion. Continue to brown the sausage; drain off any fat. Add to the pot, the beans, the garlic, apples, sugar, chili powder, mustard, tomato sauce, reserved bean liquid, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 60-75 minutes or until apples are softened and the chili is thick.

Greek Stew

By Kathryn Washburn Breighner

I've been making this simple stew for years. It's a standby, an easy dish that takes minutes to prepare and about an hour to simmer. There is a surprising ingredient that is added near the end of the cooking time that brings the flavors together in a simple explosion: cinnamon! Why would anyone buy a packet of stew seasoning when this one is so simple, so tasty and minus the chemicals in the grocery store packet. Serve this stew with a salad and a loaf of bread and you've got a great dinner.

Ingredients:
1 lb stew meat (or a cut of meat that you like cut into 1" pieces)
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large wedges
3 large potatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 c carrots, cut into chunks--more if you like carrots, I do
1 can tomato paste
1 t cinnamon
 salt and pepper to taste

Saute the meat and onion in the olive oil until the meat just begins to turn pink. Add the tomato paste and then using the tomato paste can, fill it 3 times with water and add to the meat.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and carrots, salt and pepper, bring to a simmer then cover and simmer stirring occasionally for 45 minutes. Add the cinnamon, stir well, cover and simmer 15 minutes. That's it!