holiday favorite

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

close up of caramel swirl meringue on a baking sheet

Caramel Swirl Meringues

close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

two bowls of goat cheese sweet corn grits with a spoon in it on a cotton napkin with corn cobs next to it, shot from overhead

Goat Cheese & Sweet Corn Grits

cherry almond pastry cake with a wedge removed

Cherry Almond Pastry Cake

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

two snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches stacked on top of each other

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 1, 2021

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches – Vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two soft cinnamon sugar cookies Happy National Ice Cream Month! July marks the beginning of the month celebrating all things cold and sweet. I have been celebrating this for 4 years now and have featured everything from sorbet to milkshakes to floats. Just when I think I have hit…
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overhead shot of sliced meatloaf on plate of mash potatoes and side of green beans

My Favorite Meatloaf

beef entrees· entrees
June 28, 2021

My Favorite Meatloaf – This recipe for meatloaf is lean yet flavorful and uses ingredients that you already have available! Today’s recipe is a new addition to our weekly dinners. It came along when we needed something new but didn’t want to go grocery shopping for any missing ingredients. Luckily, I found this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen and it was…
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berry pavlova sitting on a baking sheet with parchment paper

Berry Pavlova

cake· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
June 24, 2021

Berry Pavlova – Vanilla meringue is baked into a cake with a crispy shell exterior and creamy interior and then topped with sweetened whipped cream and mixed berries Yay for berry season! I started off the season making these Raspberry & Cream Profiteroles and now I’m back with another berry recipe – Berry Pavlova. Berry Pavlova is a crispy meringue…
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close up of chili mango margaritas with salted rim and limes in the foreground

Chili Mango Margaritas

drinks· Summertime Favorites
June 21, 2021

Chili Mango Margaritas – Mango and chili powder are the unexpected pairing that takes this traditional drink to another level. The smokey flavor of the chili and sweetness of the mango are a match made in heaven. Summer is here and I am spending so much time on our patio. Now that we have new comfy furniture and gorgeous twinkling…
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close up of raspberries & cream profiterole sitting on a white plate

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

dessert· Holiday Favorites· pastries· Valentine's Day
June 17, 2021

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles – Cream puffs are topped with a crispy brown sugar topping and filled with a raspberry and vanilla whipped cream Hold on to your hats because berry season is here! Berries are one of my favorite ingredients to bake with and they are at their peak flavor during the summer. I have so many recipes with…
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zoomed in shot of portuguese egg tarts sitting on a plate

Portuguese Egg Tarts

dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pie
June 15, 2021

Portuguese Egg Tarts – Crispy tart shells filled with a thick egg custard that makes for a subtle sweet treat that hits all the right notes. I gotta be honest with you all – recently I have been getting a little worn out with the blog work. I find myself waiting until the last minute to write and edit blog…
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whole baguette sitting next to a baguette that is half sliced

Baguettes

bread
June 10, 2021

Baguettes – Crusty long loaves of bread with a chewy inside is much easier to make than you think Once again, The Great British Bake Show has inspired me to make something that I’ve never made before. But this food is one we’ve all eaten before – baguettes. I am a sucker for a good, crusty, chewy, baguette. It’s great…
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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

a stack of three pumpkin oatmeal cream pies on cotton napkins with a platter behind it with more pies in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

caramel macchiato cupcakes some drizzled with caramel sauce, shot from the front

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

zoomed in shot of a plate of stacked chocolate gingerbread truffles with one with a bite out of it, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

close up of sliced loaf of chocolate cinnamon babka with the center exposed to see the beautiful swirl of chocolate

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

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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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