Frannywanny

Look what I've been munching on lately! I know, I've welcomed the year with a promise to lessen my junk food snacking but I guess it's okay to give in to my monthly craving for yummy munchies once in a while right? Well, as my husband would say, smart snacking is the way to go! We have began choosing chips that are baked, have no trans fat or have lower sodium in it vs. it's less healthy counterparts. What a perfect timing that my friend and fellow blogger R sent over a couple of bags of Herr's during our last visit to Manila! I instantly recognized Herr's as those buckets of cheese curls that we would hoard in S&R! Ohhh I love love love Herr's Cheese Curls! Well, did you know that Herr's is made of pure corn meal and is baked to perfection. I guess this is one of the very few corn products that I can eat without getting sick. It doesn't make use of artificial preservatives/flavoring too! I just love being able to enjoy this without ge...

Aside from exploring the various tourist spots found in a country and treating your taste buds to the taste of their local cuisine, pasalubong (souvenir) shopping is always a part of one's travel itinerary as it gives you the chance to take a piece of your travel destination home for you to remember. Pasalubong comes in different types. My friend J collects magnets from all the countries that she has visited, while I make sure to drop by the local Starbucks store to buy myself a City Mug to add to my growing collection. My sister, on the other hand, makes sure that she stocks up on local snacks and food items that she can share with the family back home. If a trip to Manila is not complete without buying boxes of sweet Dried Mangoes and Goldilocks products, we found out that while in Taipei, we have to make sure to buy boxes of authentic Pineapple Cake to take home. Of course, we have to look for the best and thanks to fellow bloggers Richard and Leslie who gave high praise...

Cookies are truly addicting, pair it with a glass of cold milk and it makes a perfect afternoon snack. For my family, we enjoy munching on a cookie or two after dinner. My personal favorite is Mrs. Field's White Chocolate Macadamia . I can never get over how delicious the chunky macadamia nut combined with its milky sweet chocolate. Mmm... I also remembered the time when I attempted to bake simple chewy chocolate chip cookies. I carefully measured all ingredients and followed the procedure to a T. Later, I drop spoonfuls of dough into my cookie sheet and carefully carried this to my pre-heated oven to bake. Like a little kid, I excitedly waited for my cookies to bake. Using a flashlight I would peek through the oven glass door hoping to watch my cookies take shape. To my horror, it went the other way. My dough started to flatten and spread all over, it was like watching a chemistry project gone wrong. Dumbfounded, I just stared at the oven and wondered what went wrong. The cookie...

I am such a fan of macaroons! I can still remember Mommy bringing home packs of mini macaroons from Hizon's bakeshop and my sister and I would happily munch on one macaroon after the other. I love the coconut filling and the fact that it is not too sweet. Talk about creating innovative ways to enjoy our childhood favorites, Gigi Gaerlan came up with this amazing product where she has successfully combined the creamy texture of the sweet custard and the delicious components of macaroons, thus Gigi's Custaroons were born. Thanks to fellow blogger Abet who shared samples of Gigi's delicious creations with us, we enjoyed the entire box of Original flavored Custaroons one afternoon. In addition to this, she also has the Custaroon Poppers -- bite sized round custaroons coated with premium chocolate powder. At first glance, Paul and I thought that it was like that delicious Sticky Chocolate Donut that we've tried during our recent visit to Hong Kong. Unfortu...

A and I have been best friends since 5th grade and our friendship continues to grow all throughout these years. I still remember the time when we would have swimming classes together and those moments when we would reassure one another that we'll be ok come report card day. Back in grade school, we'd be like two peas in a pod. Forever inseparable that at some point people would say we look, act and think alike. After high school though, A left for Europe and took her university degree there while I fell in love with Marketing and eventually joined the crazy corporate world immediately after my graduation. Still, A and I would manage to catch up every time she would come home to visit. Talk about destiny, A sent me an SMS a month before my BIG day telling me that the love of her life D has proposed to her. I've always like D for A from the moment I saw him and I knew they were perfect for each other. I was just as thrilled as everyone is about the news. Despite receiving t...

We have 41 days left before Christmas Day . To follow my annual tradition, I would like to share with you various Holiday gift ideas that you might want to give to your friends and loved ones this year. First off is Dragonfly Desserts . A dessert-company owned by my friend Cheryl who, after taking her culinary lessons in New York City, came back to Manila to spread more sweetness to everyone's daily lives. My sister totally loves her Wicked Bites which are mini cupcakes filled with chocolate and chili. The sweet-spicy mix makes every bite truly exciting! This year, she sent me a couple of new additions to her growing list of best-sellers such as the: Almond Cappuccino Bars : My dad, without even opening the box, said that whatever was inside must tastes good as it smells good. He's a coffee-lover and obviously was drawn towards this caffeine-loaded sweet treat. I love the moist, melt-in-your-mouth cappuccino bar that's topped with thin slices of almonds and cho...

We're approaching the last two weeks of shopping for Christmas, stress level is rising and our wallets are thinning. Here are some sweet ideas on my Top 10 Holiday Food Gifts that are just a few clicks and calls away! SPOT.ph’s Top 10 Holiday Food Gifts Related post: My Top 10 Christmas Party Food-to-Order List photos by: Paul Ang