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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas

chicken entrees
May 5, 2023

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – Tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, and baked…
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Chimichurri Steak Bites

Chimichurri Steak Bites

beef entrees· Summertime Favorites
May 5, 2022

Chimichurri Steak Bites – Sirloin pieces are marinated, seared, and drizzled with a fresh chimichurri sauce that packs a punch…
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Easy Birria Tacos

Easy Birria Tacos

chicken entrees· Summertime Favorites
May 2, 2022

Easy Birria Tacos – The traditional Mexican birria taco gets a shortcut to cut hours out of the cook time…
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Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

sides
April 25, 2022

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – Baked sweet potatoes are stuffed with seasoned black beans, fresh white onion, cilantro and finished…
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Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

appetizer· Easter· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
October 12, 2020

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce – Shrimp is coated in a mixture of spices and grilled to perfection. Served…
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Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema and Cilantro Chimichurri

Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema and Cilantro Chimichurri

soup
October 31, 2019

Black Bean Soup with Lime Crema and Cilantro Chimichurri – The most incredible, hearty black bean soup, served with a…
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Avocado Cucumber Salad

Avocado Cucumber Salad

appetizer· Easter· salad· Summertime Favorites
May 30, 2019

Avocado Cucumber Salad – Fresh avocado and mini cucumber slices are tossed with red onion, cilantro, and homemade avocado lime…
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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

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

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

two mugs of Cinnamon Maple Latte topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with pecans with dunkin donuts creamer and a stack of pumpkins on top of a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Maple Latte

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

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

Rum Cake

zoomed in shot of Mint Brownie Truffles

Mint Brownie Truffles

close up of a mint chocolate fudge cookie surrounded by chocolate chips

Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies

close up of banana fritter with a bite removed sitting on a plate with other banana fritters

Banana Fritters

casserole dish of Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

 

There’s just something about warm, soft pretzels There’s just something about warm, soft pretzels that feels like pure comfort, especially when there’s beer cheese involved.

I still remember the first time I made homemade pretzel bites. The smell that filled my kitchen was unreal, buttery, toasty, and a little sweet. Then came the beer cheese dip… creamy, tangy, with just the right amount of sharp cheddar bite.

It instantly took me back to lazy weekend afternoons spent at my favorite pub, where every appetizer came with a story and a side of laughter.

If you’ve never made pretzel bites at home before, don’t worry, they’re easier than you think, and the results are so worth it. 

Warm, golden bites + rich beer cheese = the snack you’ll want on repeat all fall long. 🍂

Comment “PRETZEL” and I'll send you a recipe.

#pretzelbites #beercheesedip #appetizerrecipes #homemadepretzels #snackideas
There’s something whimsical about a dessert that There’s something whimsical about a dessert that looks like you’ve painted it in black and white, classic, bold, but full of surprises.

When I first created these Black & White Cake Pops, I was playing around with leftover cake crumbs and two glazes (dark chocolate + white chocolate). 

The result? Elegant, crunchy on the outside, cake-soaked inside, with that satisfying first bite where the two tones meet.

They’re the perfect party treat, a nostalgic twist, or just a fun way to make ordinary cake pops feel extraordinary.

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/black-white-cake-pops/
Some of my favorite memories start with the smell Some of my favorite memories start with the smell of coffee swirling through a chilly morning. This Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew was born from one of those mornings, when I had leftover pumpkin cream and too much cold brew not to pair them together.

This isn’t just a seasonal drink, it’s that edgy, cozy twist you crave when autumn meets caffeine: chilled cold brew topped with airy pumpkin-spiced cream that slowly melts in and mingles with every sip. It’s smooth, spiced, and addictive in the best way.

Would you take yours extra creamy or light and dreamy?

Comment COLD BREW and I'll send you  a recipe

#pumpkincreamcoldbrew #coldbrewroutine #pumpkincoffee #fallcoffee #creamycoldbrew
I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a ca I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a cake that tasted like summer itself: the sun-warmed sweetness of strawberries, carried into every crumb. That memory stayed with me until I decided to capture it in cake form.

This Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake starts with macerating strawberries so their juices deepen, roasting them to intensify flavor, then folding them into a tender, buttery bundt cake that’s bursting with berry brightness. Every slice is soft, moist, and dotted with those roasted ruby surprises.

Comment STRAWBERRY and i'll send you a recipe?

#berrybundtcake 
#roastedstrawberrycake #bundtcakerecipe #summerberries #strawberrydessert #berrybundtcake
The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse, I was at a small café on a rainy afternoon overseas. A spoonful felt like velvet, silky chocolate dancing with tart raspberry, so light it dissolved in your mouth. That memory haunted me until I made it myself.

This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse is my tribute to that moment. Rich dark chocolate, whipped light as air, with a swirl of bright raspberries cutting through the sweetness. Elegant, indulgent, yet surprisingly approachable.

It’s the kind of dessert that feels special, but doesn’t require hours or dozens of ingredients. Sometimes, the most unforgettable dishes are the simplest.

Would you dig into it plain or top it with fresh raspberries & whipped cream?

Comment or DM with a “MOUSSE” and I'll send you a recipe.
#easydesserteasydessert
#chocolateraspberrymousse #raspberrymousse #chocolatemousse #dessertrecipe #easydessert

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