holiday favorite

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

fingers holding a chocolate berry fritter with a wire rack with more fritters and mixed berries surrounding them, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Berry Fritters

zoomed in shot of a piece of Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with a bite taken out of it with a plate of more cheesecake in the background, shot from the front

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

styled shot of Cranberry Apple Crumble

Cranberry Apple Crumble

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

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

candy· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
December 16, 2019

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles – Easy chocolate truffles are mixed with ground ginger and ground cinnamon and then rolled in ground gingerbread cookies to make for a simple, festive treat.  Baking season is among us, people! But why should cookies take up the spotlight??? They aren’t the only yummy treat I’m making this season. I’ve got these Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles on…
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plate of Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Snowballs with one on top with a bite out of it and cinnamon sticks next to them, shot from the front

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Snowballs

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites
December 12, 2019

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Snowballs – Buttery cookie dough is baked with tons of cinnamon and chocolate chips and them rolled in cinnamon powdered sugar December is the month when everyone gets out their rolling pins and mixers and stocks up on sugar and flour so they can bake up a storm. The most popular thing to make this month is…
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zoomed in shot of min fruit tarts, shot from a side angle

Classic Fruit Tarts

dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pie· Popular Recipes· Valentine's Day
December 9, 2019

Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream is filled into a buttery mini tart shell and covered with fresh fruit We are almost three weeks out from the launch of my first cookbook Pastry for Beginners. Ahhh! I can’t believe that you’ll soon be able to see everything I’ve been working so hard on in the last year. To…
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Sausage Egg & Cheese Pastry Muffins on a platter with a sprig of rosemary, shot from a side angle

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Pastry Muffins

breakfast· breakfast casseroles· Easter· Holiday Favorites
December 5, 2019

Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Pastry Muffins – Puff pastry is formed in a muffin tip and loaded with breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, and eggs and then baked to crispy perfection.  I don’t know who decided that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, but they weren’t wrong! And during these cold, winter months, my breakfast cravings only…
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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

drinks· Holiday Favorites· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
December 2, 2019

Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz – Cranberry and orange juice are mixed with Aperol liquor, Prosecco, and a splash of sparkling water to make for a refreshing winter cocktail.  Historically, warm cocktails take over come winter time: hot toddys, mulled wine, boozy hot chocolates, etc. But just because it’s cold, it doesn’t mean that my love of refreshing drinks goes out…
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a baking sheet with banana bread granola and a whole banana on it, shot from a side angle

Banana Bread Granola

breakfast· Fall Flavors· snacks
November 25, 2019

Banana Bread Granola – Oats are tossed with pecans, walnuts, banana puree, honey, and cinnamon to make for a crunchy snack that tastes (and smells!) just like banana bread.  Making granola at home is the snack I didn’t know I needed. I never thought it would be worth the effort. But, as it turns out, the effort is minimal which…
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Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels on a plate with sprigs of herbs in between the pinwheels, shot from overhead

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels

Easter· Holiday Favorites· sandwiches & wraps· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
November 21, 2019

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels – Leftover turkey is rolled into a wrap with a cranberry rosemary cream cheese spread and dried cranberries and then sliced into little pinwheels. It’s a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers! Years ago, wraps were given a bad rap (no pun intended) because of their false healthiness – many people perceived wraps as the healthier option,…
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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

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers on a baking sheet with parchment paper, shot from overhead

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers

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

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

zoomed in shot of Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

apple cinnamon charlotte sitting on a plate with cinnamon sabayon sliced in half to reveal the apples in the center

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

zoomed in shot of Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, shot from a side angle

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

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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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