I just came back from Colorado, where I attended a family wedding. As we drove a caravan of gas-guzzling SUVs uphill from Denver to Vail in a blinding snowstorm, I relieved my stress by wondering out loud why the wedding couldn’t have been in Hawaii.

However, once we were safely ensconced in our condo, with the skiers suiting up and the hot tub standing at the ready, it began to make sense. And once the winter weather recipes came out, it was all good.

One niece made delicious chili, served with our choice of Fritos®, macaroni, or saltines. Another made stew with chunks of potatoes and other healthy vegetables, with rich tomato sauce filled with herbs and spices. I made my special meatballs and spaghetti, with enough to have leftover meatball sandwiches the next day. We sopped up all of this goodness with fresh loaves of bread and chased it with Oreos® and milk.

Sure, we had some terrific meals with all of the wedding activities (did I mention it was at the Ritz?). But the most memorable are those family meals in the condo, handmade and chosen for warmth, simplicity, and flavor.

So wherever winter takes you, here’s hoping you go fully stocked with a favorite recipe or two, and the chance to share it with family. If you need a few winter comfort food ideas, here are some of my favorite links on www.foodchannel.com

Boston’s Best Clam Chowder
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Smoky Bacon
Touchdown Chili 7-Ways