tink makes art

Happy Monday! How about these gluten-free cocoa pancakes to start off our week? YUMMY!

Recipe and photo via ATX Gluten Free.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. brown rice flour
• 3 oz. sweet sorghum flour
• 1 oz. tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 8 oz. water
• 2 eggs
• 2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions:

Measure dry ingredients using a kitchen scale, place all in large bowl. Add salt and baking powder. Whisk to aerate dry ingredients. Add in egg, water, olive oil and vanilla. Mix until ingredients are combined and smooth. Preheat skillet to medium-high heat. Make sure it is warm before adding oil. Add cooking oil and pour pancake batter onto skillet in small circles. Cook until golden brown on edges, there will be bubbles around the edges also, and flip to finish cooking, about 1-2 minutes. Serve warm.

Today is National Pretzel Day! Let’s celebrate by making pretzels!

Do you say “Brussel sprouts” or “Brussels sprouts”? Since it’s spelled “Brussels sprouts” – Brussels being the capital of Belgium – you’re supposed to pronounce the “s” at the end of Brussels. I’ve always left the “s” silent. Silly me. Here’s a great recipe for Brussels sprouts…for lovers of these little cabbages and non-lovers alike!

Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts

2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Move oven rack to the upper third and preheat to 425 degrees.

In a 9×13 inch baking dish, toss together Brussels sprouts, garlic, water, oil, salt and pepper and spread out in a single layer.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until caramelized to taste, tossing once about 25 minutes into cooking time. Remove from oven and toss Brussels sprouts in the pan scraping up brown bits into the sprouts.

Recipe & photograph by Laura Flowers via The Cooking Photographer

these aprons by Studiopatro

and those tea towels by Untold Imprint

This photo is so inviting! For the next 30 days or so I can’t drink any beverage other than water (40 Days of Water!), but as soon as I can, I am going to use my stove top espresso maker for the first time and serve a couple shots up with some vanilla ice cream!

I finally looked up how to use my espresso maker after having it for over a year (SAD!). Below are how-to steps in case your wondering, like I was, “How in the world do I use this thing?!” Do you have one? Do you like it? Any tips for brewing fabulous espresso?!

How to use a stove top espresso maker…

• First, grind your dark roasted whole bean coffee until it is a fine powder. Don’t have a grinder? I suggest purchasing one. They are fairly inexpensive and a great investment if you enjoy fresh coffee! If you don’t have one/buy one, you can usually grind the beans when you purchase them at most grocery stores…and, they usually have an espresso setting, which is helpful.

• Fill the base of the espresso maker with water. The water should come to just below (not past!) the steam valve, which is the small hole on the outside of the base, near the top.

• Place the funnel into the base and fill it completely with ground espresso.  Level the grinds, but do not pack them.

• Screw, tighten, and secure the kettle to the base. The top kettle should still be empty and dry.

• Heat the espresso maker on the stove on medium to medium-high heat. The gurgling or steam spray sound means your machine is working properly, forcing fresh espresso into the top kettle. Once the sounds stop, approximately 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of you machine, the espresso is ready and should fill the top kettle.

• Remove from heat. (Turn off the stove!) Serve, and enjoy!

Note: You must fill your espresso maker completely with water and grounds whether you want to make 2 shots or 12. There are small and large size makers, so buy the size that best fits your drinking style.

Photo from Sunday Suppers

I’ve wanted a hive, or two or three or four, of bees for years now. I’d love to keep bees and have fresh honey! I ran across this BEAUTIFUL video by Kinfolk, and, once again, my desire grows…

Honey Harvest from Kinfolk on Vimeo.

I may be the only one who just now discovered GILT Taste, but, nonetheless, I wanted to share this amazing site with you, because it deserves recognition…and maybe you too are unfamiliar.

It’s identical in format to the regular ‘ole GILT site that offers luxury clothing, accessories, and home goods at discounted prices, but it is solely dedicated to top-of-the-line food related items including, well, food (meat, cheese, sweets, prepared goods, pantry, and produce), in addition to kitchen equipment (knives, pots and pans, cookbooks…) and beverages from coffee and teas to beer and wine. You can get amazing deals on the industry’s finest offerings. There is even a Sale section where you can get even deeper discounts on quality items, which currently hosts a plethora of Valentine’s Day related sweets and treats.

If you are a foodie, have foodie friends/loved ones, or are a foodie wannabe, this site is for you! Check it out; let me know what you think!