The Festival of Lights is going on right now. And among the many traditions of this beautiful holiday is the beloved food.

Beef brisket is chief among the amazing dishes served during this time and David Feder, a food writer in Buffalo Grove, IL, has put a new twist on this traditional favorite for Hanukkah.

It’s flavored with apricots and prunes for a slightly different taste. Isn’t it fun to change it up just a bit? Check out the entire beef brisket recipe and try it this year!

Feder suggests serving it with fluffy couscous and some garlicky green beans. Put your own stamp on it and make it a family favorite people will ask for year after year.

Sounds like a winner to me!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

Okay, it’s 12-12-12 and you know how we celebrate everything in my house, right?

Steak!

But, let’s come up with some creative ways to do this every-100-years thing right! Invite some people over, then try these festive ideas:

1. Serve 12 different cuts of steak – come on, you can do it!

2. Combine 12 cool spices and create an awesome rub for your roast.

3. Easy. Just invite 12 friends to eat steak. Boom.

4. Everyone gets a 12-ounce ribeye.

5. Serve whatever steak you want, but then go around the table and collectively come up with 12 things you’re thankful for.

6. Ask a 12-year-old to recite the “12 Days of Christmas” while you eat your steak.

And if you’re celebrating Hanukkah on this spectacular day, you’ve totally got this celebration thing under control.

Okay, now you come up with the next 6 to make 12 cool things to do on this awesome day. I need a 12-minute breather.

It’s amazing how something that had nothing to do with steak turns into a steak-related holiday in my mind.

Really, aren’t all special days steak-related in some way?

Happy 12-12-12, everyone!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

‘Tis the season for barbecue?

Totally!

Listen, with all the merry makers coming in and out of your house this month you’ve got lots of meals to provide.

And turkey and ham for two weeks straight just isn’t going to cut it.

At our house, we usually prepare lots of BBQ favorites to have around for BBQ dinners, BBQ sandwiches, even BBQ breakfast (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!).

It helps when lots of the heavy lifting has already been done for you like the sweet BBQ flank steak above that’s already been slathered with a yummy citrusy sauce. You just pick your cooking method (grilling, roasting, pan frying, broiling) and serve!

It seriously makes the holidays more enjoyable for me.

Peruse all the great Kansas City BBQ options and save your sanity this holiday season.

Bon appetit! (Just pretend I said that with a really twangy accent. Yee haw!)

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.