Are you thinking about how you will celebrate the one you love?

This time of year brings anxiety to lovebirds everywhere. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Valentine’s Day is about love, remember? That should be a positive thing. Not something that brings a lot of pressure and fear.

But there are a few no-nos that we all might want to heed if we want a successful Valentine’s Day. Like…

Don’t give them candy. Don’t make them a papier-mâché pig with wings and little hearts on it (unless you’re five years old). DON’T DVR their favorite show and say, “Here you go.”

Okay, that last one might have hit a little too close to home. It’s too painful. I don’t want to talk about it.

No, I’ve got a list of FIVE GIFTS BETTER THAN CANDY for you this Valentine’s Day. Sugary sweets are nice, but this holiday requires a little more thought. Are you ready?

1. Filet mignon. It’s tender – like your love. Cook it up for your sweetie and you’ll be number one in his/her heart.

2. Need something a little more “meaty?” A T-bone steak or Porterhouse steak should do the trick. Your love will be impressed with your thoughtfulness.

3. A new car. Hey, I didn’t say this list was practical. Just better than candy.

4. Good, old-fashioned flowers. I LOVE flowers so this one’s personal. They brighten my day and show me that my hubby is listening to me when I say, “I like flowers.”

5. Your time. Really pay attention to your sweetie, give a back rub, reconnect. That’s better than candy any day.

Still stumped? Just make it personalized to your special someone. Any gift that shows you KNOW them and you care enough to dig deep will be a winner.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I just LOVE giving steaks for the holidays! People feel so special when you give the gift of excellent, gourmet food.

And what’s that old saying about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach? Yeah, steak does that. It does that really well.

And we all know there are so many types of steaks to choose from. So this holiday, for the men in your life, what’s the best cut of steak to give?

Honestly, that depends upon the man.

Take my dad, for instance. He’s a T-bone and Porterhouse kind of guy. A man’s man. But just like both of these cuts of steak – he’s got a tender side.

And voila! That’s gift idea number one and two. You’re welcome.

Now, maybe you want to give your boss a taste of Kansas City. It’s the place where the Kansas City strip steak was born. It’s flavorful and thick and really makes a statement. That’s gift idea number three.

Want to really, really make an impression this holiday season? Give a USDA Prime gift-boxed combo. It’s got delicious prime steaks in an assortment of filet mignon, Kansas City strip steaks and boneless ribeye steaks. This gift idea number four means you don’t have to choose – they get ‘em all!

And what really, really goes well with all this amazing steak? The perfect wine! Gift idea number five is an incredible complement to any steak dinner. It completes the package! It’s wine!

Need help deciding which wine to give? Check out this great wine pairing guide to match up the best wine with his favorite cut of steak.

And try this wine gift collection to make it even easier on yourself!

With these five great gift ideas in your back pocket, any man on your list is sure to have a happy holiday!

It happens every year.

We just celebrated Mom, and now it’s time to start thinking about dear old Dad.

He deserves the best and good food gets it right every time!

Here are my top picks for Father’s Day gift ideas that are sure to be winners:

1. The Big Daddy Combo. It’s got the name built right in! And it’s filled with T-bone Steaks, Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon and Kansas City Strip Steaks. Delicious!

2. Monthly Gift Clubs. Give the gift that keeps on giving. Choose from 3-, 6- or 12-month gifts and keep those steaks coming. Dad likes Porterhouse Steak? Choose those. T-bone Steak? Strip Steak? Choose those. Customize it just for him.

3. Steak Gift Cards. Want Dad to pick his own goodies? No problem! Just give him a gift card and he can pick out his favorite steaks, desserts and more.

Choose one of these ideas and you can check spoiling Dad off your list this Father’s Day!