• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries

appetizer· sides· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
August 30, 2018

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries – Sweet potatoes are tossed in garlic, lime zest, and olive oil, baked to perfection,…
Read More

Chicken Ranch Wraps

Chicken Ranch Wraps

appetizer· chicken entrees· snacks
June 14, 2018

Chicken Ranch Wraps – Flour tortillas are stuffed with grilled chicken, Monterrey jack cheese, ranch dressing, and chopped cilantro and…
Read More

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade

drinks· Summertime Favorites
May 10, 2018

Sparkling Jalapeño Limeade – This refreshing homemade limeade is made by creating a cilantro jalapeño simple syrup and combining with…
Read More

Avocado and Charred Corn Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Avocado and Charred Corn Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

salad· Summertime Favorites
May 23, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EchaleVida #VidaAguacate #CollectiveBias…
Read More

Cilantro Lime Chicken Bites

Cilantro Lime Chicken Bites

chicken entrees
April 27, 2017

Cilantro Lime Chicken Bites – A super quick and easy dinner idea that’s made with chicken, cilantro, lime, and garlic….
Read More

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

chicken entrees· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
January 23, 2017

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers – This is the most tender and most flavorful chicken you will ever make! The chicken…
Read More

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

sides
September 29, 2016

Cilantro Lime Rice – Fluffy basmati rice mixed with fresh cilantro and lime juice. Just like the rice at Chipotle…
Read More

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2

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

autumn kale salad in a blue salad bowl

Autumn Kale Salad

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

Butterscotch Pear Turnovers

overhead shot of cheddar crusted apple pie with lattice crust

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

a slice of chocolate pecan pie on a plate with another plate of pie in the background, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Pecan Pie

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

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

Crème Brûlée Doughnuts

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

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

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

a White Chocolate Cream Puff cut in half with the filling showing and a plate of cream puffs in the background and white chocolate chips around it, shot from a side angle

White Chocolate Cream Puffs

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

 

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

Copyright © 2025 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet