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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque

seafood· seafood entrees· soup
April 2, 2020

Lobster Bisque – Creamy soup made with homemade lobster stock and served with fresh lobster meat. Today’s recipe is a…
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Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

pizza & pasta· seafood· seafood entrees
February 27, 2020

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine – Shrimp are cooked in a garlic butter white wine sauce and tossed into linguine to…
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Creamy Dill Salmon

Creamy Dill Salmon

seafood entrees
May 23, 2019

Creamy Dill Salmon – The easiest, most delicious salmon you’ll ever make! Pan fried salmon covered in a creamy, lemon…
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Ahi Tuna Poke Stack

Ahi Tuna Poke Stack

seafood entrees
May 17, 2019

Ahi Tuna Poke Stack – Sticky sushi rice, topped with pickled onions, diced avocado, and fresh ahi tuna tossed in a…
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Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Easter· Holiday Favorites· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
March 2, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Clos du Bois and SeaPak. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The following…
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Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers

appetizer· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
August 10, 2017

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – Grilled shrimp skewers covered in a spicy, creamy, sweet chili sauce. Perfect for the…
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Shrimp & Grit Cake Bites (+wine pairing)

Shrimp & Grit Cake Bites (+wine pairing)

appetizer· seafood entrees
May 3, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. The following content…
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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

portion of sweet potato gratin being removed from casserole dish, revealing gooey center

Sweet Potato Gratin

a plate of pie crust chips with a bowl of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip on it and a jar of caramel behind it, shot from a side angle

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

a glass dish with pumpkin cinnamon rolls in it with some missing from the center and a spatula with a pumpkin the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

styled shot of Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

plate of croissant french toast with powdered sugar and fruit with another plate in the background

Croissant French Toast

close up of cinnamon raisin rugelach to shot the spiral side and yummy filling

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

zoomed in shot of sour cream doughnuts and donut holes on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Sour Cream Doughnuts

a short glass with a gold rim filled with cherry bourbon spritz and a garnish of rosemary twig

Cherry Bourbon Spritz

 

Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies ar Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and baked twice to make them extra crispy and perfect for dunking into your favorite hot beverage.

Biscotti is the dessert I never knew I needed. I discovered them in college when I craved a snack while studying for finals. I bought a biscotti at the library coffee shop and dunked it in my coffee. The cookie that I thought was too crunchy suddenly turn soft and chewy. Yum!

Those memories inspired me to make my own biscotti. First, I made these gingerbread biscotti. And then I made this pistachio version. Now, I’m recreating the biscotti I first had many years ago – Double Chocolate Biscotti.

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/double-chocolate-biscotti/
Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream is filled into a buttery mini tart shell and covered with fresh fruit.

I decided to share a recipe that is (1) perfect to serve during the holidays and (2) absolutely gorgeous to look at. And with that, I present to you my Classic Fruit Tarts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-fruit-tarts/
Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese str Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese straw is flavored with fresh rosemary to give them a sophisticated feel.

I am a snacker, through and through. Before meeting my husband and living together, my meals were not planned out and mostly consisted of a lot of small snacks throughout the day. 

Over time, I learned it’s very hard to coordinate meals and get togethers with others when I’m not super hungry so I learned to adapt. But in my core, I am still a snack lover!

Today’s recipe is my newest snack obsession – Rosemary Cheese Straws

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/rosemary-cheese-straws/
Split Buns with Cream and Jam – soft, enriched y Split Buns with Cream and Jam – soft, enriched yeast buns split and filled with fresh whipped cream and raspberry jam, then dusted with powdered sugar!

Once again, The Great British Baking Show has led me to a new treat I'd never heard of but was completely entranced by! Devonshire split buns are a popular British treat made with soft baked buns filled with cream and jam, and honestly? I'm obsessed! 

What I love about these buns is how they feel like eating a sweet sandwich – imagine a jam sandwich but in a long bun with whipped cream! Doesn't that make you drool?

The great news is they're super easy to make! With a simple enriched dough recipe and store-bought jam, you can have these buns ready in just a couple of hours! The dough took me some time to develop because I wanted them soft like hot dog buns (but obviously sweeter!), not dense and heavy!

Pro tip: DO NOT slice all the way through! Leave the bottom connected so the buns hold the filling well! Use piping bags with tips to fill neatly – it makes them look bakery-quality!

Perfect for breakfast, dessert, holiday gatherings, brunch, or anytime you want a soft, indulgent treat! 

💬 Comment "SPLITBUNS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for baking inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves buns!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/split-buns-with-cream-and-jam/
Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini – crispy baguette sli Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini – crispy baguette slices rubbed with fresh garlic, spread with rosemary honey goat cheese, and topped with fig preserves! 

This particular crostini was born when I had leftover fig preserves to use up! And let me tell you – this combination is INCREDIBLE! Every single bite is perfectly balanced – crispy, tangy, sweet, spicy, and creamy all at once! My guests absolutely cannot stop at just one!

The magic is in the rosemary honey goat cheese spread – that's where all the flavor comes from! The fresh rosemary pairs SO beautifully with the sweet fig preserves!
Pro tip: Do NOT assemble these until you're ready to serve! 

The bread will get soggy if you make them ahead! BUT you can toast the bread and make the goat cheese spread ahead of time for quick assembly!

Perfect for holiday parties, entertaining guests, or anytime you need an impressive appetizer that's seriously easy to make! 🎉

💬 Comment "CROSTINI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for party planning
📤 SHARE with someone who loves appetizers!

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