holiday favorite

pint glass of pumpkin cream cold brew coffee with a metal straw

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

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

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

photo of creme brulee doughnuts stacked together with the top doughnut missing a bite

Crème Brûlée Doughnuts

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

Mixed Berry Fool

overhead shot of fig and goat cheese crostini on a serving platter

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls with glaze in a baking dish

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter
August 7, 2016

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls – Classic cinnamon rolls are kicked up a notch with the addition of diced apples and fall spices to make these taste just like fresh apple pie. Perfect for any breakfast or brunch, especially during the holidays! If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my husband’s taste in sweets, is that he’s as traditional as you can…
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grilled corn guacamole and ears of corn

Roasted Corn Guacamole

dips· Summertime Favorites
August 4, 2016

Ever since we moved into our new house, we’ve been grilling like crazy. See, we weren’t allowed to have a grill at our apartment, so this is a new treat for us. So, of course, I had to look through my cook books to see what kind of goodies we could whip up with our new grill. One of my…
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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

Cookies· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
August 1, 2016

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! Ever since we visited Paris last year, I have been in love with macarons. If you haven’t had a macaron before, you’ve been missing out! They are these traditional French sandwich…
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Beer and Cheese Biscuits - Super cheesy biscuits are taken to a whole other level with the addition of beer. You'll be shocked by how easy they are to make! Perfect for breakfast sandwiches or alongside your favorite dinner.

Beer and Cheese Biscuits

biscuits
July 24, 2016

Beer and Cheese Biscuits – Super cheesy biscuits are taken to a whole other level with the addition of beer. You’ll be shocked by how easy they are to make! Perfect for breakfast sandwiches or alongside your favorite dinner.  People always ask me: how do you decide on what you’re going to make? There are mainly two things that help…
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chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

ice cream· Summertime Favorites
July 19, 2016

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream – A chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream that tastes like cookie dough in every bite. Well, hello there. It’s been quite a long time. Where have I been, you ask? Long story short, I got lazy and let life get in the way of my blogging. But my baking and love of food…
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Coca-Cola Cupcakes

cake
July 8, 2012

Coca-Cola Cupcakes – Cocoa-cola adds a yummy sweetness to these chocolate cupcakes! Now, I’m gonna be honest with ya’ll (clearly living in the South has changed me a bit)…I turned my nose up to all recipes I saw that had any kind of soda in it: cherry cola, Mountain Dew, Sprite, you name it. Being the classic cook that I…
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Chocolate-Covered Turtles with Bacon

candy
May 21, 2012

Chocolate-Covered Turtles with Bacon – Chocolate turtles made with pecans and a special ingredient. Bacon! It’s back! After a few months off, I finally received another food challenge at work. No, not another bake-off challenge, but an ingredient challenge. The partner at my job loves to make requests/challenges for Friday treat that I’m bringing in that week. Of course, I…
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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

chicken and biscuits in a dutch oven overhead shot

Chicken and Dumplings

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

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

two stacked Cinnamon Chocolate Muffins and one muffin cut in half next to it and a pan of cinnamon chocolate muffins, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Chocolate Muffins

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

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

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

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

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This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta g This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta game forever!

After having mind-blowing cacio e pepe at Eataly in Boston, I became obsessed with recreating it at home. But here's the problem: the traditional recipe only makes small portions. So I had a lightbulb moment – what if I cooked it risotto-style to feed a crowd?!

The result? Pure magic. By cooking short pasta (I use ditalini!) slowly in chicken broth, you get an ultra-creamy, luscious texture without any cream. Just simple Italian ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh black pepper, butter, and good olive oil.

Here's what makes this amazing:
✨ Feeds a crowd (perfect for dinner parties!)
✨ Only 7 ingredients, but packed with flavor
✨ Takes 30 minutes but worth every second
✨ Creamy without any cream

The key? Using the BEST ingredients – fresh ground black pepper and quality extra virgin olive oil make all the difference. And cooking that pepper in the oil at the beginning? That's what gives it that signature cacio e pepe punch!

Pro tip: Dice those onions super small so they don't overpower each bite. Trust me on this one

Ready to make restaurant-quality Italian pasta at home? Comment "PASTA" below and I'll send the full recipe to your DMs! 

#cacioepepe #pastarisotto #italianfood #pastarecipes #dinnerparty
Black Forest Cupcakes are the ultimate delight! R Black Forest Cupcakes are the ultimate delight!

Rich chocolate cupcakes stuffed with amaretto-roasted cherry compote, topped with fresh whipped cream and a chocolate-dipped cherry. They're basically the fancy cupcake version of the classic German cake, and they're absolutely stunning!

Here's what you need to know:
✨ Made with FRESH cherries (it's their peak season!)
✨ Amaretto instead of Kirsch for better flavor
✨ Three delicious components: cake + filling + topping
✨ Easier than they look – just takes some time

Fun fact: The chocolate represents the Black Forest, while the red and white represent traditional colors worn by women of that region. How beautiful is that? 

These are perfect for gatherings, BBQs, or whenever you want to impress someone with an elegant dessert. Multiple people said these were devoured within 2 days – and I totally believe them!

Pro tip: Make sure everything is completely cooled before assembling, or you'll have a melty mess on your hands 

Ready to make cherry season magic? Comment "CHERRIES" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs!

#blackforestcake #cherryseason #chocolatecupcakes #summerrecipes #elegantdesserts
The secret to getting kids to eat their veggies? W The secret to getting kids to eat their veggies? Wrap them in puff pastry and cheese.

These Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels are a total game-changer in our house. My kids never want vegetables (ok, who are we kidding – NO kid does), but these? They gobble them up without a single complaint!

Here's what makes them amazing:
✨ Only 4 ingredients – puff pastry, cream cheese, broccoli, and shredded cheese
✨ Ready in 30 minutes from start to finish
✨ Perfect for snacks, lunch boxes, or appetizers
✨ Can make them meal-sized or appetizer-sized

The flaky puff pastry + creamy cheese + tender broccoli combo is chef's kiss. One follower said these were gone in SECONDS at their party and everyone wanted the recipe!

Pro tip: Add some shredded chicken to make these a complete meal!

Want the full recipe with all my tips for perfect pinwheels? Comment "PINWHEELS" below and I'll send it straight to your DMs!

#kidfriendlyrecipes #healthysnacks #puffpastry #pinwheels #hiddenveggie
Pull-apart perfection in every bite! This Apple Pull-apart perfection in every bite! 

This Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread is the ultimate fall treat – fluffy balls of sweet dough stuffed with warm cinnamon apples, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and baked with a sticky brown sugar glaze. It's basically like a giant apple fritter you can pull apart with your hands!

Apple picking season is actually at its peak RIGHT NOW (did you think it was October too?!) so this is the perfect recipe to make with all those fresh apples 🍏

Here's what you need to know:
✨ Easier than you think – yeast dough isn't scary!
✨ 40 little dough balls = maximum pull-apart fun
✨ Each bite has warm cinnamon apples inside
✨ That brown sugar goo? Chef's kiss

Pro tip: Use a nonstick Bundt pan and grease it REALLY well. Trust me on this one.

Perfect for weekend brunch, holiday mornings, or honestly any time you want to impress your people. One follower said her 5-year-old declared this is what they're giving Santa – so you KNOW it's good!

Want the full recipe with all my tips and tricks? Comment "APPLES" below and I'll send it straight to your DMs! 

#monkeybread #applecinnamon #fallbaking #applerecipes #brunchideas
The FLUFFIEST sweet yeast rolls you'll ever make! The FLUFFIEST sweet yeast rolls you'll ever make!

These beauties are perfectly soft, subtly sweet, and paired with the most incredible whipped pumpkin butter (butter + pumpkin + cinnamon + honey = heaven!).

My husband said these are the best rolls he's ever had, and trust me—he doesn't give compliments lightly 😄

Here's why you need to make these:
✨ Easier than you think (no fancy skills needed!)
✨ Perfectly fluffy and chewy texture
✨ That whipped pumpkin butter is ADDICTIVE
✨ Make ahead and freeze for up to 2 months

Whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a cozy family dinner, these rolls will steal the show. The secret? Scalded milk for maximum fluffiness and making sure they're touching in the pan before baking.

Want the full recipe with step-by-step instructions? Comment "ROLLS" below and I'll send it straight to your DMs! 💌
#homemadebread #yeastrolls #thanksgivingrecipes #holidaybaking #pumpkinrecipes

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