Thursday, April 2, 2009

Foodie Friday: Chocolate Cake, Hot Cross Buns, and Blueberry Muffins


The week has sped by, and it's time for another "Foodie Friday."

Before we get started, I wanted to tell you about a new, exciting Friday event. Artie Ben at Color Outside the Lines is launching "Fido Friday" this coming Friday, April 10.

My very own design dog, Mister, will be interviewed by Abby and D. This weekly event will be tremendous fun!

This week's "Foodie Friday" post concerns....
Dressing up Store-Bought Desserts


When I am lost in the tulips, cooking falls by the wayside, and I rely on store-bought goodies to fill our bellies, and to supply myself with carbs.

Today, Dr. Gollum and I hit Publix and Kroger. I found some irresistible hot cross buns, blueberry muffins, and a simple chocolate pound cake.

Then I got busy.

Pansies and whipped cream are the busy cook's bestest friends.





I made mud pies when I was a scruffy kid--and this cake reminds me of rich, dark Louisiana dirt that always made great pies.

The peepers are still here, eyeing the pansies.

I don't know why, but I can't cook while I'm writing. I burn everything. My mind is somewhere else. But! Decorating store-bought food is another story. I love it.



What You Need:

1 "store-bought" chocolate pound cake

Whipped cream -- homemade or Extra Creamy Cool Whip

Organic pansies






The blueberry muffins were adorned with pansies, too.







The hot cross buns didn't need festooning, but I couldn't restrain myself.




Here, the table is loaded with dishes and carbs.


Shopping List:

Chocolate pound cake from Kroger bakery

Hot Cross Buns from Publix bakery

Cool Whip Extra Creamy (or heavy whipping cream)

organic pansies



This week, I'm armed with Slim Jims to fill my belly while I peruse the delicious recipes from the potluck.
If you are participating in this week's "Foodie Friday," add your name (or your blog's name), and the permalink to your "FF" post. If you aren't sure how to do that, click on the title of your "FF" post and then cut/paste the full, permalink address into Mr. Linky's URL slot.

65 comments:

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Gollum, This is just beautiful!! And it looks so.. yummy!! I am so busy I don't have time to tablescape or cook. But, I will get back into the swing of things really soon. I hope!
Hugs, Terrie

Leigh of Bloggeritaville said...

Oh, this post was absolutley gorgeous! I just love the pansies! They really make those dishes eye candy!

ann said...

everything you do is awesome.These are lovely...Ann

Scribbler said...

I saw those Hot Cross Buns at my Publix today, too. I did manage to restrain myself, because I usually make some.

What are you writing? I am a writer, too.

Scribbler

Mari at Once Upon a Plate said...

Gorgeous Michael!!!

I love decorating food with fresh (edible if you want to) flowers ~ and you've done a spectacular job.

Wish I could reach through the screen!!
xo~m.

susan said...

We don't have Publix and I don't think my Kroger has hot cross buns. You have a way of making the ordinary seem extraordinary! Happy writing and thanks for taking time to host!

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Very pretty and delicious, too!

Michelle@Fromhousetohome said...

mmmmmmm....that chocolate cake looks so rich. I love what you did with the flowers, very pretty. You amaze me with what you can do with food, you have such a talent.
~Michelle

Martha said...

What a great display of food and table. Pansies are not just for gardens, they're for food. Don't you just love it when your food smiles at you?

ellen b said...

Gollum! You are a master at making my mouth water and my eyes take delight in what I see on your blog. Your creations are fabulous and your photos are perfect! Happy F.F. to you and all...

Tammy518 said...

Your baked goods look yummy! I love the pansies. The little peepers and bunny are so cute.

La Table De Nana said...

The chocolate planters are soooo cute:)

Nancy Jane said...

Hi Gollum, Was going to apologize for posting carbs but I guess it's not necessary :) Maybe I should just ship you some pasta instead! Hope your writing is progressing smoothly. Hugs- Nancy

Penny said...

Oh my good gosh this looks so beautiful. I always get excited when I see you've created a new post.
Cheers,
Penny

~CC Catherine said...

Gollum, You make Publix and Kroger desserts look like they just stepped out of Bon Appetite magazine! Seriously...and your tablescape looks divine! Totally a super post and very EYE catching! Yummy...the pansies are eye candy too! ;) ~CC Catherine from "Catherine de th`e Cups"

salmagundi said...

Ooh! My favorite - hot cross buns. I have to find some at the bakery this week. Thanks for the reminder. Sally

mbkatc230 said...

These are beautiful! You would never guess that these are store bought desserts. And your table looks just gorgeous. What a great combination, eye candy AND carbs! Kathy

Judy said...

I just joined in for another Foodie Friday! When I stopped at the farmer's market this week to pick up some fresh veggies, I knew that I would blog about it on Foodie Friday....there's nothing like fresh vegetables!

Judy

Susan said...

Your food looks too pretty to eat! I don't think that will stop me though, do you?

Chandy said...

Those pastries just became more delicious! The deep purple pansies are so beautiful! Nice choice to pretty up the desserts!

I think I'll plant some pansies so I can something like that!

I'll join in on the fun at Texas midnight...

Kathy's Red Door Welcome said...

My goodness you are talented. You've made me want to run to Costco and get there chocolate cake and drape it with pansies and dallop it with whip cream. Your photographs are beautiful!

Sara's Sweet Surprise said...

Oh, my apologies...I haven't yet posted my NEW foodie for tomorrow. The one you saw was an old post. The new post (to come) was from the Darling Bakers Spring Fling, that you may have missed since I posted late to the event. sorry for the mix up.

I think this beautiful, delicate, sliced cake with cascading whip cream and petite Pansies is such a creative presentation. I hope you share this with the DB's.

Sweet Wishes,
Sara

santamaker said...

Oh goodness, that chocolate cake looks sooooo good, but all I'd be allowed to eat would be the pansies!
Carbs are beautiful, delicious and evil! LOL...

Diane@A Picture is Worth.... said...

Beautiful pictures Gollum...as they say...presentation is very important when it comes to food!

laurie @ bargain hunting said...

I just finished dinner and now I'm so wanting some chocolate! That looks delicious. I can't believe you were able to decorate that food and take pictures of it before you ate it! Oh, I wish I had that kind of willpower! laurie

Meme said...

The chocolate cake looks decadent! What a wonderful way to decorate without all the mess of tubes and frosting!

Pinky said...

I swear, I have never seen ANYONE who could take a store bought cake and make it look like a MILLION bucks! You are amazing and Dr. and Bandwith are the LUCKY recipients! You are also SOOOO inspiring to all of us! Thanks so much, G. Love, Pinky

tales from an O.C. cottage said...

Everything looks blue-ribbon-licious!

m ^..^

Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) said...

This is beautiful! I love pansies...especially the ones with the little faces. Everything looks yummy and so Springy! :-) susan

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Gollum, that is an amazing tablescape, and that chocolate cake... oh YUM! Storebought or not, it looks divine! Love the daffodils in the bunny baskets, the pansies decoraing the food, the birds looking at the pansies, and the whole post! The colors are so pretty.

Best in your writing. :-)

Happy Foodie Friday and thanks for hosting us. I actually "fixed" something. Now, this "something" I "fixed" is questionable at best, but hey, I tried!!!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Shelia said...

Evening, Dear Gollum! Oh, how marvelous all of your food looks and to think it came from the grocery store! The pansies are so sweet tiptoeing all over your food! :)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Foley said...

Love the way you can decorate store bought food and make it look so elegant! Those pansies make it look so fresh and yearning for Spring.
I linked earlier at #25 but was lost somehow...don't know what I did wrong:(

Gollum said...

I will check Mr. Linky and see what's up.

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

Gollum, this is darling, I love your bowls and all those pansies are just down right "happy"..what inspiration... hugs ~lynne~

Shelia said...

Oh, my goodness, Gollum! I messed up somehow on my first link! So if you have time, you may want to delet it! I'm such a dummy! I put the right one in again.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Pinky said...

I forgot to ask: where did you get the adorable faux chocolate bunny planters??? They are wonderful! Pinky

Gollum said...

Shelia, I fixied it. Pinky--I found them at Kroger. Kroger also had a HUGE peep, stuffed, and I was dead for him, but Dr. G said it's the bunnies or the peep. :-)

Jan said...

You are an artist in all ways DG....

Really Rainey said...

I love the pansies on your cake! Those are edible too! First time I ate a flower in front of my granddaughter the look on her face was priceless!
Thanks again for another beautiful FF!

~Really Rainey~

Diane @ Four Paws and Co said...

This is beautiful & something that even I could manage to do! ☺ Diane

The Bloom Girls said...

Happy Friday Gollum! These all look so yummy! I love the pansies. They were my mother's favorite flowers and remind me of her! She always said they had "happy little faces". Thank you so much for visting our blog and your lovely comments about our "pint sized chef" Madison and her video! Have a wonderful weekend!

Karyn, The Bloom Girls

Linda/"Mom" said...

* GG~ The very first day my "big Sister" (& my ,ONLY sibling) went to school I cried...and cried... and CRIED! I wanted to go with WITH her. My wonderful Mom took me to a nursery (the FLOWER kind!) & bought tons n' tons of "happy, smiling pansies". We spent the entire morning & early afternoon planting them. It's one of MY FAVORITE & FONDEST MEMORIES of our always wonderful "one-on-one" times together (at least before I was old enough to start SHPPING with her!!! Smiles!!!)~~~ SO, I THANK YOU for the memories~~~ this is SOOOOOOOO DELIGHTFUL!!!!!! XOXO, Linda

Justine/Justiney/Tiney said...

Holy cow, M, you are such an artist! You've made these store-bought desserts look absolutely beautiful! And yummy!
But wait, I thought you'd sworn off carbs? I knew it couldn't last!

Justine :o )

Room Service ~ Decorating 101 said...

I will be stealing this pansie ideal for a upcoming shower...thanks and I look forward to fido Fridays!

Terri and Bob said...

This is as lovely as any magazine spread I have seen for food. I lvoe it!

bj said...

Great Scott...this is just beautiful, Gollum. I do hope you plan to do a book using all your foodie photos..they are always so beautiful. This is just STUNNING!
Everything you touch, even pizza, turns out fabulous and so special. No wonder Dr. Gollum loves you so much....

Amy said...

It all looks so fabulous and delicous. Especially those hot cross buns.

amy@maisonbelle

Jayne said...

What a delight to come here, always. So pretty!

SusanQ said...

I swear you could make a Swanson Pot Pie look beautiful! I love the pansies, they are one of my favorite flowers and so cheerful. Your new header is lovely too. Now pass the cake!

Marsha said...

Isn't it amazing what pansies can do to make food "sing" with SPRING! A beautiful post...wish I had a piece of that cake right now!

Lori (All That Splatters) said...

I love, love, love all the pansies decorating your baked goods! You definitely know how to turn ordinary into spectacular. What a great way to think outside of the box (the one that the goods came in!) ;)

Nostalgic Nosh said...

It's amazing what a pansy will do to seemingly any dish. I love it and the memories attached to it (:

Raggedy Girl said...

You are so amazing and I love to come and visit. I love the pansy decorated food. You are another Sandra Lee.

Have A Fabulous Friday
From Roberta Anne
The Raggedy Girl.

Florida Sue said...

What a feast for the eyes and tummy. You do so many beautiful things and are such an inspiration to me. Sigh..I guess you will be on the Lipitor with me. Cheers!

once in a blue moon... said...

ok, just for you i posted this ff, but sadly you have to wade thru loads of garden pics...

been a wild day so far and on pins and needles waiting for the call~

you know i am duely impressed with your food and should be taking your route too, but i never even make it to the grocery store! love it all~

off to make cookies, JUST LIKE YOURS! oolala~

imjacobsmom said...

I love how the pansies "cute" everything up. I've done that for years and everyone gets a kick out of it. I'm off to check out the rest of the bunch. Happy Friday! ~ Robyn

marty39 said...

Oh, they're all just so gorgeous. I love to decorate up a cake, and you have done a fabulous job of really makeing the store-bought look gourmet pastry chef. Just gorgeous. Hugs, Marty

Helen said...

My very favorite photos involve the whipped cream cascading down the side of the dark chocolate cake. Unbelievably beautiful AND mouthwatering. Can't wait for Fido Fridays .... I may have to borrow my daughter's Maltese, Sammy!

Suzy said...

Your post is gorgeous as always! Oh the things you can do to storebought food! I love the chocolate flower pots and the faberge plates are to die for. Beautiful...all of it! Thanks for being such a gracious host!

Beth at Aunties said...

Mrs Gollum you made my mouth water. The spring colors and the delicious were simply lovely! I love using pansie's and Johnny jump ups as a dessert decor when we have them in bloom. The pretty daffodils in the little bunny baskets are precious. I am sure hungry for a slice of chocolate pound cake!:-)

Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents said...

Gosh, Gollum, this is such a beautiful post! Yummy, EASY food, great decorations for the eyes! And it all looks so beautiful with the dishes you chose. Stunning!

Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Looks wonderful, and pretty table. I am trying to reconstruct my list of Favorites & Feeds (due to a computer that died). I kept trying to find you under Gollum Designs. I was in the kitchen trying to decide whats for dinner, and the "light bulb" came on and I remembered Designs by Gollum. I guess food and Foodie Friday made me remember. Anyway, you are back on my list of blogs. :-)
Hope you are having a great weekend.
Glenda

hazel said...

WAY too pretty to eat! Maybe I can just sit an stare at them with my morning coffee!

Bumble Bee Cottage said...

Hi, I only found your 'Foodie Friday' through Cindy's blog 'My Romantic Home' on Sunday. This is a lovely idea and a good way to swap recipes. Better late than never ;P

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