As much as I try to deny it, my dog is getting old. In fact, she just turned 13. She’s in pretty great shape, but is starting to show signs of arthritis in her back legs. My vet recommended I switch her to wheat and corn-free dog food. Apparently, the grain contributes to inflammation. But when I went on the hunt for grain-free dog biscuits, I found the prices were kind of crazy – upwards of $5 for a seriously small bag. I decided there had to be a better solution. Enter Google and this really inexpensive recipe for a biscuit made from banana, egg, garbanzo bean flour and oats.

Recipe and adorable puppy pic via A Cozy Kitchen.

This month’s Bon Appetite featured a recipe for gluten free griddle cakes. I’ve been searching for a g.f. pancake recipe for awhile, so I gave it a try. The recipe uses oat flour and buckwheat flour, which you can get at your local health food store. You can also make your own oat flour by pulsing rolled oats in a food processor.

I have to say I had some trouble with dough thickness and crumbling. The recipe states that you should “pour” the dough into the pan. My dough had to be scooped and then spread. This kind of stuff is par for the course with gluten free baking, but I would probably experiment with adding a bit more buttermilk next time. I would also advise you pour the pancakes no larger than your spatula as several of mine fell apart on flipping.

Below is the photo from Bon Appetite. You can see their griddle cakes were a lot prettier than mine. I also topped mine with baked apples just to get a little “healthy” in there. The cakes had a great texture and were nice and fluffy, so despite my problems, I will definitely give this recipe another try. If you aren’t gluten free and like the idea of oatmeal pancakes, you might try substituting wheat flour for the buckwheat. That should help with the crumbling.

Throw in an adorable hat and I don’t know what to do with myself. World’s cutest plate (AKA Ponza Dog Hat Canape Plate), $8 each.

Maybe it’s because I was an English major, but I can’t stop laughing at this Brews Before Shrews pint glass – a surprisingly high-brow new item from Urban Outfitters. $12 for 2.

Last night while listening to NPR, I heard a mention of a tapioca flour-based Brazilian Cheese bread that the reporter could not believe was gluten-free. As someone with a wheat allergy, any mention of bread I can eat sends me on a desperate recipe search. Luckily, I found a Pão de Queijo recipe over at The Kitchn.

Mine (above) didn’t come out as perfectly round (see the Kitchn’s version below), but I have to believe they were just as delicious. These only took about 15 minutes to prepare, 25 minutes to bake and were more than worth the effort. They are crispy and chewy and have a wonderful cheese flavor. This recipe is definitely worth a try whether you are gluten-free or not.

Oh, and if you don’t happen to have tapioca flour hanging around the house, you should be able to find it (sometimes being sold under the name “tapioca starch”) at your local natural grocer or at Amazon.

Marked with circles for pie crusts, a ruler and baking conversion charts, this bamboo baker’s board from West Elm takes the guess work out of bread and pastry. $89.

Sarjaton tableware by Iittala, available here. Via the Style Files.

It’s nice to see a decanter with a more moder silhouette. Perhaps it’s not idea for letting wine breath, but a few of these would be lovely for your whiskey and gin. The Ling Decanter, $34 from Crate and Barrel.

Austin is in the grips of a rare (at least lately) stretch of rain. It’s cold – relatively speaking – and it’s grey, which means I can’t wait to get home to cook up something hot, rich and delicious. In my opinion, the perfect winter recipes feature simple, seasonal flavors. So, here are a few things I’m hoping to try before the mercury streaks back up to 70. Above, Rosemary Chicken Lasagna from Feasting at Home.

Slow-Cooker Meatball Sandwiches from Better Homes and Gardens.

For anyone counting calories, Cooking Light’s Gruyere Cauliflower Gratin (161 calories per serving and delicious).

Savory Bread Pudding featuring leeks, mushrooms and smoked ham via Bon Appetempt.

And because you can never take the Texas out of the girl, Chips and Cheese Chili Casserole from Avery Cooks.

Yesterday, I helped my sister-in-law do some baking for teachers’ gifts. We used this Browned Butter Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from Bake or Break. It is amazing. The salt adds both visual interest and a little sophistication and the browned butter lends a nutty flavor and aroma. They really aren’t any harder to make than your average chocolate chip cookie recipe, and have been quite a hit. Two thumbs up.