So I'm sitting here watching it snow, wishing I was in Keystone, Colorado or better yet in River Run Village watching the skiers make their last run for the day. If they're like the rest of us I'm sure they'd love to go back to their vacation condo and have a hot pot of chili waiting to warm them up and take the edge off. Well, I can help with that. I had a friend give me a great cookbook and I thought it would be fun to share a recipe with all you Keystone skiers! The cookbook is called Colorado Cache Cookbook, 30th Anniversary Edition. It's put out by the Junior League of Denver and has some wonderful recipes. You can check them out at their web site at www.jld.org

Here's a quick delicious recipe from the Junior League of Denver to make microwave chili for those cold evenings by the fire after a day on the slopes. Enjoy! This recipe serves 8 people. Hot chocolate, a good bottle of wine and crackers are optional.

Microwave Chili

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

1 large green pepper, diced

1, 1-pound 13-ounce can of tomatoes

2-3 tablespoons of chili powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 

1/8 teaspoon of paprika

1, 15-ounce can of kidney beans, drained

2, 8-ounce cans of tomato sauce

Brown the beef in the microwave for 7 minutes, stirring twice. Drain off grease. Saute onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons of water for 2 minutes in microwave. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and cook covered for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time. Rest covered for 5 minutes before serving. Also good with shredded cheddar cheese and a spoonful of sour cream.