Most families have a holiday tradition, whether it be playing games, singing carols, watching movies, or in my families case, enjoying a delicious meal together while sharing stories. For the past few years around the holidays my generous parents have constantly asked my siblings & myself what we’d like. After years of asking for more toys & Barbies than reasonably possible, I started to learn the value of gifts. Sure gifts have a monetary value but what about that value we can’t put a pricetag on. I started thinking more about the traditions my family have built on our own & how those traditions, most of which involve food, have shaped where I am today, (i.e. the food & lifestyle blog I now run). So this year I asked my parents for just one gift: a cookbook of all of their recipes. This invaluable gift would be something I could use my entire life & pass down from generation to generation. I’m hoping this post pressures them to pull through with the gift 😉 Hi Mom & Dad!

When I first asked my parents for this gift, they laughed, not giving themselves enough credit for their dishes. I requested a few specific ones & left the remaining recipes in their own hands to decide what would be included in the cookbook. One of the recipes I requested was my Dad’s Brats & Beans recipe–a staple yearround in our house (bbqs, holidays, etc.). It’s one of the most delicious dishes & is always a fight between my siblings over who got the last serving. My Dad laughed when I asked for this recipe saying that it’s just a few ingredinets we always have in the house that can be cooked in just a few minutes. I couldn’t believe how easy this recipe truly was, & was excited to get started on the other recipes in their cookbook (hows the progress goin’ Mom & Dad?!).

Recently, I made this dish for a holiday party I was hosting for a few friends & it was such a hit. The best part was making the dish didn’t require my attention so I was able to focus on setting up the decor & tablescape. To get the full effect of this typical summer dish, I cooked the brats on a grill pan which gave them that true summertime flavor. It was so nice to be able to enjoy this dish indoors since it’s now nearly freezing outside! I decided to serve them in mini mason jars because well, they look adorable & they’re super easy for guests to enjoy while mingling! Get the full recipe below & let us know in the comments, what are some family traditions you love?!