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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Blueberry Crumb Bars

bars and brownies· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 22, 2012

Blueberry Crumb Bars – Fresh blueberries with a hint of lemon zest on top of a buttery crust and sprinkled…
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Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Easter· pie· Summertime Favorites
March 25, 2012

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies – Mini peach hand pies with a hint of bourbon. This week’s baked good was inspired…
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Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

biscuits· Easter
March 21, 2012

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits – These southern buttermilk biscuits are given a little boost from active drive yeast so they become…
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Glazed Doughnut Muffins

Glazed Doughnut Muffins

breakfast· Easter· muffins
March 11, 2012

Glazed Doughnut Muffins – These muffins have the texture and flavors of classic cake doughnuts, covered in glaze. At work,…
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Homemade Pop Tarts

Homemade Pop Tarts

pastries
February 16, 2012

Homemade Pop Tarts – Flaky pastry filled with your favorite flavors: strawberry jam, brown sugar cinnamon, or s’mores. For this…
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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 plate of pie crust chips with a bowl of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip on it and a jar of caramel behind it, shot from a side angle

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

Pecan Pie Brownies

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

chicken and biscuits in a dutch oven overhead shot

Chicken and Dumplings

a slice of peach upside down cake on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background

Peach Upside-down Cake

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

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holiday favorite

Fudge Striped Cookies on a wire rack drizzled chocolate, shot from a side angle

Fudge Striped Cookies

a slice of bread being dipped into the butter in a dish of roasted garlic mushrooms with a loaf of bread in the background, shot from a side angle

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms

berry pavlova sitting on a baking sheet with parchment paper

Berry Pavlova

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

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

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

 

Woah guys, I need to talk to you about these Choco Woah guys, I need to talk to you about these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Pops!

So this recipe was inspired by a trip to a well-known coffee shop. They sell some incredible cake pops there, with the birthday cake being my all-time favorite. But on this trip, I decided to give their cookie dough flavor a chance because I am ALL about the cookie dough!

The verdict? Bleh. It was fine, but I kept thinking about ways it could be EVEN better!

My issues with the coffee shop version:
❌ White chocolate coating (poor flavor choice!)
❌ Didn't taste like a cookie at all
❌ Missing that brown sugar goodness

So I took all my observations and developed my PERFECT version of a chocolate chip cookie cake pop! And you guys, these turned out SO much better!

They're perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, or honestly anytime you want a fun treat that tastes way better than the coffee shop version! 

Ready to make these? 💌 Comment "POPS" below and I'll send you the link!

#CakePops #ChocolateChipCookie #PartyFood #DessertRecipes #CakePopRecipe #ChocolateChip #KidFriendlyRecipes #ChocolateChipCookies
Hot chocolate. It's almost a necessity in winter t Hot chocolate. It's almost a necessity in winter time, right?

Last year I made this incredible peanut butter hot chocolate because, you know, I love all things peanut butter. But this year? I wanted to make a hot chocolate with another one of my FAVORITE chocolate combos: Raspberry Hot Chocolate!

And that raspberry, guys…let me tell you. Adding it to the hot chocolate is like drinking one of those chocolate raspberry truffles from a chocolate shop. So rich and slightly tart. The whole drink is so balanced and I love it!

Making hot chocolate from scratch is much much easier than you'd think. And once you do, you'll never buy those packets again! All you do is heat milk in a saucepan and then whisk in cocoa powder and sugar. Boom – that's it!

For this raspberry hot chocolate, there's just one more step: break down fresh raspberries into a puree by cooking them on the stove for a few minutes. Once it's cooked, you just strain out the seeds and add to the hot chocolate and you have yourself a raspberry hot chocolate!

Perfect for Valentine's Day, cozy movie nights, or anytime you want to treat yourself to something special!

Ready to upgrade your hot chocolate game? 💌 Comment "COCOA" below and I'll send you the link!

#HotChocolate #HomemadeHotChocolate #WinterDrinks #CozyDrinks #HotChocolateRecipe #ChocolateRaspberry #ValentinesDayDrinks #WarmDrinks #CozyRecipes #WinterTreats #ComfortDrinks #HotCocoa
These Smothered Pork Chops are an exciting escape These Smothered Pork Chops are an exciting escape from boring dinners, and honestly? They might be my new weeknight obsession!

Oh my goodness, ya'll. Not only does it smell heavenly, but that flavor is unmatched to any gravy I've ever made before. That fresh thyme really sets it off! 

What makes these AMAZING:
🔥 ONE PAN recipe - yes, all done on the stove!
🍳 No oven or fancy appliances required
💚 That creamy onion gravy is EVERYTHING
⏰ Ready in 40 minutes total
🥩 Bone-in chops stay SO juicy
👨‍🍳 Simple ingredients, incredible flavor

The process is super easy:
First, you lightly fry the pork chops - and don't worry, it's not a thick batter that would make these super unhealthy. We just coat them in spices and a little flour, then fry in butter and oil to get them slightly crispy.

Then comes the magic! The butter and oil stay in the pan (hello, flavor!), and we cook down the onions, add garlic and fresh thyme, then create this INCREDIBLE creamy gravy with chicken stock and cream. The gravy thickens right before your eyes - it's actually kinda mesmerizing!

Finally, add back the chops, smother them in all that gorgeous gravy, and let them finish cooking. The result? Tender, juicy pork chops swimming in the most flavorful onion gravy you've ever tasted!

This is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you're eating at a fancy restaurant but you made it on a Tuesday night in 40 minutes. Win-win!

Ready to make dinner exciting again? 💌 Comment "PORK" below and I'll send you the link!

#PorkChops #OnionGravy #ComfortFood #EasyDinner #DinnerRecipes #PorkRecipes #OnePanMeal #EasyRecipes #HomeCooking #DinnerIdeas #PorkChopRecipe
I never really liked fudge... until I tried THIS D I never really liked fudge... until I tried THIS Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge! 

Okay guys, confession time. I used to think fudge was just meh - too sugary, kinda gritty, not chocolatey enough. But then my friend Savannah brought homemade fudge to our Christmas potluck and I ate EIGHT pieces. EIGHT! That's incredible, even for me!

So of course I had to get the recipe and make it my own. Enter: this gorgeous Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge! The combo of rich dark chocolate with tart raspberry swirls is absolutely HEAVENLY.

The best part? This is SO much easier than traditional fudge! No candy thermometer needed - just sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and homemade raspberry puree. That's it!

Swipe to see:
→ The dreamy raspberry swirl 😍
→ How creamy and smooth this fudge is
→ That gorgeous color combo
→ Tips for perfect fudge every time
→ The easy recipe breakdown

Perfect for Valentine's Day, Galentine's, or honestly just because you deserve something sweet!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'FUDGE' below and I'll send you the link!

#HomemadeFudge #ValentinesDayDessert #ChocolateRaspberry #DessertRecipes #RaspberryDessert #ValentinesDay #GalentinesDay #FudgeRecipe
This Cranberry Apple Crumble is my absolute favori This Cranberry Apple Crumble is my absolute favorite alternative to apple pie - and here's why you're gonna love it too!

First of all, let's be real... making pie is SUCH a process. Make dough, chill dough, roll out dough, make filling, create pretty top crust, bake. It's just too much, especially during the holidays! And don't even get me started on that first slice that NEVER comes out pretty. I usually keep it for myself to save the embarrassment 😅

But THIS? This is SO much easier! It's the same balance of fruit and carbs you crave in a pie but with like half the effort. Plus it's scoopable, so no messy slicing! Hallelujah!

The cranberries pair SO beautifully with the apples - I've been embracing cranberries a lot more this year and I'm so glad I did! The tart berries balance perfectly with the sweet apples and that buttery crumble topping.

A few tips that will help you:
1️⃣ Slice the apples, don't dice them - better apple to cranberry ratio
2️⃣ Fresh or frozen cranberries work! DO NOT use dried
3️⃣ Let the crumb mixture chill for at least 10 minutes so it hardens up
4️⃣ Granny Smith apples hold their texture perfectly when baked

This crumble is warm, comforting, and absolutely irresistible. The only thing that can make it better is that generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top! 🤤
Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or honestly any time you want something delicious without all the pie stress!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment "CRUMBLE" below and I'll send you the link!

#AppleCrumble #HolidayBaking #EasyDesserts #AppleDesserts #CranberryDessert  #DessertRecipes #ComfortFood #AppleRecipes

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