holiday favorite

cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

salted caramel banana cream puffs on a round serving plate with bananas in the background

Salted Caramel Banana Cream Puffs

baked brie with roasted pears and walnuts on top

Roasted Pear Baked Brie

Honey Wheat Bread Loaves

two stemmed glasses of Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz with orange slices and rosemary sprigs with cramberries rosemary and half an orange on the table underneath, shot from the front

Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

two bowls of honey mustard chopped salad with a fork next to them, shot from overhead

Honey Mustard Chopped Salad

chicken entrees· salad· Summertime Favorites
April 13, 2020

Honey Mustard Chopped Salad – Chicken breast is marinated in a honey mustard vinaigrette, cooked, and then topped on a bed of chopped Romaine, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon, and avocado. With spring comes tons of yummy produce. And because of that, I always get in a salad kick this time of year. I love all kinds of salad. There’s…
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a fork pulling a bite of cheesy crab dip from a baking dish on a cotton napkin with crackers next to it, shot from a side angle

Cheesy Crab Dip

appetizer· dips· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
April 10, 2020

Cheesy Crab Dip – Fresh lump crab meat is tossed with cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and green onions and topped with mozzarella cheese before being baked to perfection. It’s a creamy, cheesy masterpiece, perfect for any event. After my Lobster Bisque turned out so great, I was inspired to take on more seafood recipes that I…
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plate with a raspberry sweet roll with a fork with a bite on it with another plate of sweet rolls in the back, shot from a side angle

Raspberry Sweet Rolls

breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· pastries· Valentine's Day
April 6, 2020

Raspberry Sweet Rolls – Sweet yeast dough is filled with raspberry jam and fresh raspberries and then baked until golden perfection. They’re topped with a tangy icing that takes them to a whole other level. I’m always trying to step up my cinnamon roll game. I’ve taken this classic recipe and made it special is so many ways. Here are…
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a spoon scooping some lobster bisque onto it in a bowl of bisque with bread and a pan in the background, shot from a side angle

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 result of wanting to try new things. Seafood is something I cook very seldom at home but still love to eat when I’m out at restaurants. Now that we’re home-bound for a while, I’m getting more adventurous with my cooking…
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cinnamon crunch bagel with a sliced bagel with cream cheese and a cup of cream cheese with a knife on top next to it, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Crunch Bagels

bread· breakfast· Easter
March 30, 2020

Cinnamon Crunch Bagels – Chewy cinnamon bagels are baked with a sugar and cinnamon mixture on top to make a yummy, crunchy coating. About 2 years ago, I finally perfected my bagel recipe. This recipe produced the chewiest, most flavorful bagel that I’ve ever had, including store-bought! Granted, I haven’t had a NYC bagel so who knows if it can…
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zoomed in show of a baking dish with biscuits and gravy casserole with a scoop out of the center and a wooden spoon resting in it, shot from a side angle

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

biscuits· breakfast casseroles· Easter
March 26, 2020

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole – Sausage gravy is cooked with biscuits on top to make a yummy casserole fit for any breakfast or brunch. How is everyone holding up during the COVID-19 social quarantine? We’ve been doing fine so far and not too stir-crazy. At this point, however, it looks like most of us will be spending Easter at home….
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plate with a glass dish of coconut banana pudding on it with a spoon sprinkled with toasted coconut and more dishes with pudding in them in the background, shot from a side angle

Coconut Banana Pudding

Uncategorized
March 23, 2020

Coconut Banana Pudding – Classic banana pudding is taken up a notch by using coconut milk and coconut cream in the recipe. We also finish it off with a topping of toasted coconut! It’s been a week of isolation for us and it’s going by faster than we thought. Anyone else? I think it helps that we still have unpacking…
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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

shortcut apple strudel on a marble serving platter cut down the middle to expose the apple center with vanilla ice cream on top and a fork in the foreground

Shortcut Apple Strudel

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

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

overhead shot of bright pumpkin fettuccine on a white plate with sundried tomatoes and wilted spinach throughout

Pumpkin Fettuccine with Sundried Tomatoes

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

overhead shot of quinoa harvest salad on a plate

Quinoa Harvest Salad

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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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