holiday favorite

close up of two brown sugar cinnamon cookie bars stacked on top of each other

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

Candied Pecans

zoomed in shot of a Rum Cake surrounded with raspberries on top of a cloth napkin, shot from the front

Rum Cake

pumpkin cinnamon pull apart loaf with a center slice visable

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

bailey cheesecake brownie bites on a dessert plate with one missing a bite to expose the creamy center

Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

zoomed in shot of firecracker meatballs between two chopsticks

Firecracker Meatballs

appetizer· Tailgating Recipes
April 8, 2021

Firecracker Meatballs – Mini pork meatballs with yummy Asian fusion flavors are coated in a spicy cream sauce and perfect as an appetizer or a meal all their own I haven’t been shy with you all about my love for Hello Fresh. We continue to use it once per month to switch up our dinners and broaden our horizons a…
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photo taken from the right side of oasted greek lemon potatoes sitting in a dark 9x13 pan

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Easter· Holiday Favorites· sides· Summertime Favorites
April 5, 2021

Greek Lemon Potatoes – Yukon gold baby potatoes are cooked in a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, chicken broth, and a secret ingredient to make for the best roasted potatoes you’ve ever had! Lately, we’ve been in a dinner rut, which I am sure is something you’ve all been going through as well. You have your main go-to recipes and…
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carrot raisin muffins stacked on top of each other and sitting on a purple plate

Carrot Raisin Muffins

dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· muffins
April 1, 2021

Carrot Raisin Muffins – Tall, fluffy carrot muffins are studded with golden raisins and chopped walnuts to make a hearty, spiced muffin perfect for any time of day Today’s recipe is just in time for Easter. When I think of Easter recipes, I gravitate towards carrot cake. The Easter Bunny likes his sweets too and I imagine carrot cake is…
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picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

appetizer· Easter· Fall Flavors· salad· Summertime Favorites
March 29, 2021

Apple Pecan Farro Salad – Tender farro grains are tossed with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette, pecans, dried cranberries, and spring greens. After a little hiatus, I am back! Turns out adding one more kid into the mix (along with a more demanding job and a ongoing pandemic) started to take a toll on my schedule. For the sake of…
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close up of a phyllo triangle sitting on a platter drizzled with honey and chopped walnuts

Goat Cheese & Honey Phyllo Triangles

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pastries· snacks
December 14, 2020

Goat Cheese & Honey Phyllo Triangles – Thin phyllo pastry is filled with goat cheese and honey, baked, and served with a honey syrup for dipping. Today’s recipe is inspired by a dessert I tried not too long ago. It was super simple – goat cheese wrapped in phyllo, baked, and then served with a drizzle of honey syrup. Despite…
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photo of stick toffee pudding on a plate with a few bites removed and tons of extra toffee sauce

Sticky Toffee Pudding

cake· dessert· Easter· Valentine's Day
November 30, 2020

Sticky Toffee Pudding – A brown sugar cake made with dates is soaked in a homemade toffee sauce to make this traditional British dessert As you can imagine, this pandemic had led me to find so many new shows to binge on TV. My latest obsession is the Great British Baking Show. Have you seen it? So many people had…
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close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· sides
November 23, 2020

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Sweet Potatoes are mashed together with chopped sage and browned butter. Thanksgiving is just a few days away. Can you believe it?! This year has been so odd. Staying at home so much has me all confused about the seasons and holidays. It feels like Thanksgiving has come out of nowhere! Earlier…
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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

angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

sweet potato biscuits on parchment paper with butter to the side and a cast iron pan of more biscuits in it, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Biscuits

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

warm banana bread with a couple bites removed sitting on a plate with two scoops on butter pecan ice cream stacked on top and caramelized bananas over the top and a spoon on the side

Banana Bread Sundae

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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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