FOOD FOR THE HEART: GMA-7 STARS AND THEIR YUMMY CREATIONS!

        These talented actresses can do more than act. They can cook and bake too!

        Chynna Ortaleza, Ryza Cenon, and Bettina Carlos, all stars of GMA Network apparently know their way around the kitchen and can whip up some excellent homemade goodies. It's honestly quite intimidating. With their beauty and their talent, they can rule the world hahaha! Not to mention they are all really really super nice! 

        Last January 16, food bloggers were invited to have a relaxing afternoon to chat with these lovely ladies and taste their yummy creations!

Bettina Carlos' Baked Bites

        Bettina Carlos is actually the owner of Baked Bites, and the mastermind behind Nutella Rocks (P40 per piece / P450 per dozen), a genius dessert made of squished Nutella. Imagine two moist Nutella cookies held together with a rich Nutella spread... (I'm pretty sure I had you at "Nutella") After all,Who doesn't like Nutella?! 

        She also prepared some Dulce de Leche Pecan Cheesecake (P55 per piece / P650 per dozen). It had a nice balance of sweet, creaminess, and a touch of tartness. Plus the crunch from the pecan added a nice subtle crunch to it!

        And then her newest baby is the Red Velvet Brownie. A moist delectable heart-shaped cake perfect for the big V-day!

Baked Bites goodies are available at:

- selected Moonleaf Teashops (The Columns, Ayala Makati branch, and Mckinley Hill, The Fort branch)

- Rain Tree Teapresso Blends at White Plain, Quezon City. 

For order and inquiries, you can contact Ms. Bettina Carlos by sending an SMS to 0917-861BITE(2483). Baked Bites are available for shipping nationwide.

Ryza Cenon's Sweet and Savory Treats

        We were all amazed when Ryza Cenon brought in her masterpieces! She went all-out and created not one, not two, but three savory treats, and then also baked not one, not two, but four sweet desserts for our afternoon gathering! Apparently, Ryza has a huge passion for cooking and baking (obviously). I was even amazed she had time to prepare everything!

        Ryza prepared some spinach pizza, buffalo wings, and beef lasagna. All were really good! The Pizzza was just right, the buffalo wings had just the right amount of heat, and the lasagna was good and creamy. 

        For the desserts, there's Coconut Ferrero. A nice light coconut cupcake topped with one whole piece of Ferrero on top. I'm not usually a fan of coconut desserts but this one was actually good. 

 

        Next is the Cookie Butter Nutella. A beautiful moist cupcake that would be the best bet for Cookie Butter lovers.

        Next is the Red Velvet Whoppie Pie. They're two soft red velvet cookies with a really good cream cheese frosting in between. Another brilliant creation, if you ask me.

        And then last but not the least, the Brookie. My favorite. I love chocolate chip cookies and I love brownies. And the way she made it was very moist, and once you dig further inside you will be greeted by a rich brownie fudge base!

        Ryza Cenon cooks and bakes to satisfy requests and orders from her close friends at of the moment, but she shall be sharing her culinary creations soon with her bestfriend and future business partner, Chynna Ortaleza. Keep eyes peeled for Chynna and Ryza’s stall at food bazaars this year. You may also send a direct message to Ryza Cenon’s instagram, @iamryzacenon, for inquiries.

Chyna Ortaleza's Cherry Pizza and Banana Prune Bread

        Chyna's Cherry Pizza and Banana Prune Bread were actually her first attempt to bake. Which makes us her very first guinea pigs hahaha! But happy guinea pigs we were! As it turns out her first attempt was a really good one! I found her creations very comforting. Like something you'd happily devour on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The Cherry Pizza is composed of a tart crust, then blanketed with a delicious cherry compote (not too sweet which I like), and then sprinkled with a generous serving of finely crushed macadamia.

        The Banana Prune Bread on the other hand tastes excellent especially for an all-organic recipe. It was very moist and flavorful!

        She even took the time to individually package it and even put hand-written notes with beautiful foodie quotes.

        I had a fun yet relaxing afternoon with Bettina, Ryza, and Chynna (Benjamin Alvez also joined in on this event as a food taster hahaha! And of course to support his co-stars. And he's also really nice!) We all had fun chatting about food and all things delicious! I wish these girls the best of luck with their food businesses. (Although I don't think they really need more luck as their creations speak for themselves!) Keep an eye out for more of their amazing dishes soon!