holiday favorite

strawberry brioche bun on a gray table

Strawberry Brioche Buns

a slice of chocolate pecan pie on a plate with another plate of pie in the background, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Red Velvet Macarons - A classic french cookie made with a red velvet cookie and cream cheese filling. A elegant little dessert perfect for bridal showers and tea parties!

Red Velvet Macarons

pint glass of pumpkin cream cold brew coffee with a metal straw

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

a purple plate with 4 churro waffles

Churro Waffles

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

whole cherry tomato prosciutto pizza shot from the front

Cherry Tomato Prosciutto Pizza

pizza & pasta
June 27, 2022

Cherry Tomato Prosciutto Pizza – Homemade pizza baked with fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, then finished with Italian prosciutto and arugula sprinkled over the top Today’s recipe is a recreation of an AMAZING pizza I recently tried at a baby shower. I was so surprised that I loved it so much because I’m usually not a big prosciutto fan. However,…
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angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

dessert· Fall Flavors
June 23, 2022

Cup of Dirt Pudding – Homemade milk chocolate pudding is topped with gummy worms and crushed Oreos to simulate a cup of dirt. As my kids get older, I get more and more excited to introduce them to the foods I used to love as a child. The newest one to enter the fold is this Cup of Dirt Pudding….
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slice of chocolate peanut butter pie on a plate shot from the side

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

dessert· pie
June 20, 2022

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie – A no-bake pie made of fluffy peanut butter cream cheese filling topped with milk chocolate ganache, all in an Oreo cookie crust. Today, we continue the no-bake dessert trend. But this time, I’ve got a cool no-bake treat that is sure to cool you down during these insanely hot days, while also satisfying that sweet…
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close-up of crispy peanut butter bars

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

bars and brownies· snacks
June 14, 2022

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars – Marshmallow crispy rice bars with peanut butter and a chocolate layer on top Now that it’s getting so hot outside, turning the oven on just doesn’t seem like something I want to do. That’s why no-bake recipes are perfect for these hot months. My new favorite recipe is for these Crispy Peanut Butter Bars. Chewy,…
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stacked oatmeal brookie bars with the top one missing a bite to reveal the chewy center

Oatmeal Brookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· Valentine's Day
June 6, 2022

Oatmeal Brookie Bars – Chewy brownies are topped with cinnamon oatmeal cookie dough and baked together to form a brookie! Today’s recipe is combination of two of my favorite desserts: oatmeal cookies and brownies. They actually work quite nicely together because the cinnamon in the cookies is a welcomed pairing with the chocolate in the brownies. Plus, the textures in…
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cookie monster cookie with a bite removed to show the oreo cookie in the center. stacked on another cookie

Cookie Monster Cookies

Cookies
May 24, 2022

Cookie Monster Cookies – Chewy brown sugar cookies are colored blue, stuffed with a whole Oreo, and loaded with white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, chocolate chip cookie pieces, and Oreo cookie pieces to make a monster of a cookie! Cookies! It’s been a minute since we’ve had a cookie recipe so why not go BIG?! These Cookie Monster Cookies…
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overhead shot of chopped strawberry spinach salad in a blue serving bowl with salad servers

Chopped Strawberry Spinach Salad

appetizer· salad· Summertime Favorites
May 19, 2022

Chopped Strawberry Spinach Salad – Baby spinach is chopped and tossed with chopped cucumbers, toasted walnuts, strawberries, chives, and a homemade honey Dijon vinaigrette. Strawberry season is upon us! You can tell because the strawberries at the grocery store are bright and beautiful and so flavorful. I’ve been making a strawberry parfait for breakfast most days because I can’t resist…
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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

apple pie egg roll dipping in caramel sauce

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Apple Pie Cake

pumpkin cinnamon pull apart loaf with a center slice visable

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

styled shot of of Salted Caramel Ice Cream in a glass dish with an ice cream scooper with sugar cones and a full ice cream cone next to it and a jar and spoon of caramel sauce

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

overhead shot of spiced carrots on a bed of whipped feta dip

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

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Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in a jus made of beef broth, carrots, celery, and onions! Balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mustard give that jus a kick of flavor! 

Cold weather is in full effect, you guys! So comfort food needs to be on the menu! My husband wanted to try a good pot roast, so I used a combination of recipes to come up with the perfect one! 

The secret? Traditional aromatics (carrots, celery, onions) PLUS balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard set this roast apart with a tangy kick!

Pro tip: Sear the roast first to give it beautiful color on the outside – if you skip this step, the meat will look almost gray when cooked in the broth!

💬 Comment "POTROAST" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for comfort meals
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pot roast!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-pot-roast/
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – fluffy pillows of sweet potato dumplings tossed in a sage and browned butter sauce for a comforting pasta dish you didn't know you needed! 

This gnocchi was inspired by a dish I had at a local restaurant years ago, you guys! I was skeptical about sweet potato gnocchi with just butter and sage – no cream? no tomato? But MAN, was I wrong! 

The sweet potato gnocchi is even MORE flavorful than the original! It shines on its own with little help from a heavy sauce – that's why it pairs so perfectly with a light toss in sage and browned butter!

Pro tip: Use a potato ricer to break up the sweet potatoes – don't use a food processor or it will make the gnocchi gummy and pasty! The ricer makes it super fluffy!

Perfect for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, date nights, or anytime you want restaurant-quality comfort food at home! 

💬 Comment "GNOCCHI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall cooking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pasta!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-sage-browned-butter/
Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the o Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside! Your favorite old-fashioned cake doughnuts ready in half the time as yeast doughnuts!

These are also known as old-fashioned doughnuts, you guys! They're bulky, firm on the outside, but oh-so-moist on the inside! The BEST combination of textures – crunchy yet chewy, dense yet moist! 

I fell in love with these at a local bakery, and now my husband surprises me with them from time to time! Do I have a great man or what?!

Pro tip: Don't roll the dough too thin or the doughnuts will turn to hockey pucks when you fry them! You're better off making the dough too thick than too thin!

Perfect for weekend breakfast, Easter morning, brunch, or anytime you want homemade doughnuts without the wait! 

💬 Comment "DOUGHNUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for weekend baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sour-cream-doughnuts
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed wi Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, then baked until creamy perfection! 

I'm more of a green enchiladas fan than red, you guys! While this sauce isn't traditional green enchilada sauce, it's got similar flavor notes! Plus, with the added milk, it's super creamy and decadent! 

The secret? A roux makes the sauce ultra creamy without needing tons of heavy cream!

Pro tip: Don't skip the lime juice! It's KEY to balancing out the flavors – this is NOT an optional ingredient!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, dinner parties, family dinners, or anytime you want creamy enchiladas! 🎉

💬 Comment "POBLANO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for Cinco de Mayo
📤 SHARE with someone who loves enchiladas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/creamy-poblano-enchiladas/
Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cum Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cumin-spiced beef and tomato mixture!

These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, you guys! Small party-perfect size (makes about 20!) with super flavorful filling that's NOT spicy – everyone will love them! 😍

Made with my classic pie dough for the flakiest crust, then filled with seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes!

Pro tip: Make sure to chill the dough before rolling it out – this lets it rest and firm up so it gets nice and flaky while baking!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, game day, meal prep, or anytime you want delicious hand-held snacks!

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

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/beef-empanadas

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