holiday favorite

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

styled shot of Chocolate Chip Cookies Bites with Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Fudge Frosting

mixed berry fool in a glass with a strawberry and mint garnish on top

Mixed Berry Fool

Apple Pie Cake

zoomed in shot of min fruit tarts, shot from a side angle

Classic Fruit Tarts

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

picture of fried goat cheese balls stacked on an appetizer plate with honey drizzling over the top

Fried Goat Cheese Balls

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
January 6, 2022

Fried Goat Cheese Balls – Soft goat cheese is rolled in panko breadcrumbs, fried until golden brown, and served with a drizzle of honey to make the best little appetizer for any occasion Today’s recipe is inspired by an appetizer that I had years ago at a local restaurant. They’re known for their fried goat cheese and man, is it…
Read More

spoonful of baked chicken spaghetti rising from the casserole

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

chicken entrees
January 3, 2022

Baked Chicken Spaghetti – Spaghetti is tossed in a creamy sauce, along with mozzarella cheese and diced chicken and then baked to make for a perfect weeknight one-pot casserole. Happy New Year! My December was jam-packed with sugary sweets so I am actually looking forward to moving past the holidays and back into more savory cooking and baking this month….
Read More

pastry rolls sitting next to each other on a white surface

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls

breakfast· Easter· pastries
December 30, 2021

Easy Ham & Cheese Pastry Rolls – Puff pastry is layered with Dijon mustard, ham, and cheddar cheese, rolled and then baked in the oven until perfectly crispy Fun breakfasts don’t need to be complicated. No dicing vegetables or layering ingredients into a casserole are required for the breakfast I have for you today. It’s a simple breakfast dish that…
Read More

a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

Cookies· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
December 23, 2021

Maple Molasses Cookies – Chewy molasses cookies have just the perfect amount of spice and way more chew than a gingerbread man cookie. If that wasn’t enough, they’re covered with a thin layer of maple glaze. It’s rare that a cookie surprises me. But that’s exactly what these Maple Molasses Cookies did. I was testing a recipe for new cookies…
Read More

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

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 20, 2021

Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach – Pastry is rolled with a cinnamon raisin filling and then baked until crispy on top and chewy in the middle I don’t talk much about my Jewish heritage but it was definitely part of my upbringing. We never went to the synagogue but we’d celebrate the major holidays and ate many of the traditional foods. My…
Read More

close up of a split bun with cream & jam

Split Buns with Cream and Jam

bread· breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Holiday Favorites· pastries
December 17, 2021

Split Buns with Cream and Jam – Soft, enriched buns are split in half and stuffed with raspberry jam and fresh whipped cream. Are they dessert? Are they breakfast? They taste so good you’ll eat them whenever! Once again, The Great British Baking Show has led me to a new treat that I’d never heard of but was completely entranced…
Read More

close up of slices of cranberry orange loaf on a serving platter

Cranberry Orange Loaf

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
December 13, 2021

Cranberry Orange Loaf – A sweet bread flavored with fresh orange zest and loaded with cranberries. Topped with a sweet orange icing and candied orange slices and cranberries. Fruit is hard to come by this time of year, which is hard for me because baking with fruit it one of my favorite things. But once again, I was reminded of…
Read More

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • …
  • 92
  • Next Page »

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

Pumpkin Tres Leches

Apple Pie Cake

overhead shot of pumpkin churros on a plate of cinnamon sugar

Pumpkin Churros

styled shot of Cranberry Apple Crumble

Cranberry Apple Crumble

close up pork chops on a plate with Dijon apple pan sauce on top and a rosemary garnish

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

 

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

Copyright © 2026 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet