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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

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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Cheesecakes!

Cheesecakes!

cake
January 3, 2012

Cheesecakes! – A duo recipe with cappuccino chocolate cheesecake and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. The first “difficult” thing I learned…
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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

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

staged shot of pumpkin cinnamon crunch muffins with sprinkled pecans and pumpkins in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

a cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

photo of two glasses of sangria with the pitcher in the background

Cranberry Apple Sangria

plate of Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons with a gourd in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

two pints of high road ice cream stacked on top of each other with glass dishes of apple pie sundaes next to them and an apple slice and a apple cut in half in front, shot from the front

Apple Pie Sundae

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photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

a short glass with a gold rim filled with cherry bourbon spritz and a garnish of rosemary twig

Cherry Bourbon Spritz

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

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

a slice of cinnamon swirl doughnut bread with a fork cutting it in with the other half of the bread next to it on a piece of parchment paper and a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Swirl Doughnut Loaf

autumn kale salad in a blue salad bowl

Autumn Kale Salad

close up of beignets stacked on a plate, covered in powdered sugar

Beignets

 

It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my F It's soup season, y'all! And I'm bringing you my FAVORITE fall comfort food: Salsa Verde Chicken Chili! 

This isn't your typical chili, guys. We're talking shredded chicken, white beans, and a HEARTY salsa verde broth that'll warm you right up on these chilly days!

The best part? It's SO EASY! I use rotisserie chicken so there's barely any prep work. Just shred, dump, and let it simmer for an hour. That's it!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
✨ Packed with protein and fiber from white beans
✨ Fresh salsa verde flavor (not jarred stuff!)
✨ Ready in about 1.5 hours total
✨ Perfect for meal prep - lasts 3 days in the fridge
✨ Totally customizable with your favorite toppings

And can we talk about the avocado situation? I'd never had avocado in my chili before this, and OH MY GOSH. Game changer! The creaminess + the spices = chef's kiss

Swipe to see the process and my top tips! ➡️

💌 Want the full recipe? Comment 'VERDE' below and I'll send you the link!
Have you tried white chili before? Let me know in the comments! 👇

#SalsaVerdeChickenChili  #ComfortFoo #ChickenChili #SoupRecipe
Okay I'm taking a break from all this healthy eati Okay I'm taking a break from all this healthy eating. Gimme me all the chocolate!

This Red Velvet Loaf is EXACTLY what I needed after a month of Weight Watchers! Ultra-moist red velvet cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting - and the best part? It's a loaf so there's no fussy layering!

Here's why you'll LOVE this recipe:
🔴 Super moist thanks to buttermilk (my secret weapon!)
🔴 Perfect for Valentine's Day or any time you need something red and festive
🔴 Easy loaf format - no cake decorating skills needed
🔴 That classic red velvet flavor with mild chocolate notes

The trick to keeping this cake moist? Don't overbake it! I start checking around the 1-hour mark. Also, gel food coloring is KEY - it won't mess with your batter consistency.

Fun fact: I never even tasted red velvet until I moved to Atlanta! Now it's one of my favorite treats to make.

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'RED VELVET' below and I'll send you the link!
Have you tried making red velvet at home? Let me know in the comments! 

#RedVelvetLoaf #RedVelvetCake #ValentinesDayDessert #ValentinesDayBaking #LoafCake #HomemadeCake #RedVelvet #DessertRecipe #CakeRecipe #ValentinesTreatsl
Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally go Okay, story time! Over the holidays, we finally got to visit Gideon's Bakehouse in Orlando, you know, the legendary bakery with the nearly HALF-POUND cookies that everyone raves about? The ones with 2+ hour wait times?

They had a virtual queue going, so we shopped around until it was our turn (thank goodness!). I grabbed a few of their famous cookies, including one that immediately caught my eye: the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookie. 

I'm obsessed with banana and chocolate together, so this was a no-brainer!

And OH MY GOSH. It was even better than I imagined! Not only was it loaded with chocolate and real banana flavor, but it had candied walnuts throughout for this sweet-salty crunch. INCREDIBLE! 

The biggest bummer? You can ONLY get them in Orlando, no online ordering, no shipping. So of course, I decided to recreate them at home! And you guys... I think I got pretty darn close!

What makes these cookies special:
🍌 Real Banana Flavor: Mashed banana (not artificial!) gives them that authentic banana bread taste
🥜 Candied Walnuts: This is KEY—they stay crunchy and add that sweet-salty element
🍫 Double Chocolate: Regular AND large chocolate chips for maximum chocolatey goodness
🍪 Thick & Chewy: Chilling the dough keeps them beautifully thick

Want to make your own Gideon's-inspired cookies at home? 💌 Comment 'BANANA' below and I'll send you the link!

Have you been to Gideon's? What's your favorite cookie flavor? 👇
#BananaCookies #ChocolateChipCookies #GideonsBakehouse #OrlandoBakery #BakeryStyleCookies #BananaChocolateChip #HomemadeCookies #CookieRecipe #BakingFromScratch #CopycatRecipes
I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it f I used to love cooking, but during busy weeks it felt like a chore. I was too exhausted after work to make anything fun. But with all that time at home, I was able to rethink our favorite foods and make them more achievable for weeknights.

I'd always loved mojo pork (that Cuban citrus-marinated pork that's SO flavorful), but I never made it because traditional pork loin takes FOREVER to roast. But then I had a lightbulb moment: What if I used pork TENDERLOIN instead? 

We eat it all the time because it's lean, quick-cooking, and my husband can grill it in under 30 minutes. Why not marinate it in mojo?

Here's what makes this recipe a weeknight winner:
🍊 The Marinade: Orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and oregano create that classic Cuban flavor. Just dump everything in a bag and let it work its magic!
⏰ The Timeline: Marinate for 4-24 hours (I usually do overnight), then it's only 25 minutes of active cooking time. Quick sear + oven = done!
🍽️ The Versatility: Serve it with rice and beans, make tacos, top a salad, use for Cuban sandwiches, or meal prep it for the week!

Three critical tips:
-DRY the pork after marinating: This is SO important! Pat it completely dry before searing or you'll steam it instead of getting a beautiful crust
-Use a meat thermometer: Pull it at 145°F for perfectly juicy pork every time. No guessing, no cutting it open repeatedly
-Don't over-marinate: 24 hours max or the texture gets mushy!

This has become one of our absolute go-to meals. It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but it's secretly SO easy!

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

#MojoPork #PorkTenderloin #CubanFood #WeeknghtDinner #EasyDinner #DinnerIdeas #MarinadeRecipe #HealthyDinner #MealPrepIdeas #QuickDinner
Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is TH Can we talk about how guava and cream cheese is THE most underrated flavor combination ever?! 

Growing up, guava was always around. My dad would spread it on toast with butter every morning, and I did the same. But it wasn't until I had guava with cream cheese at a Latin bakery in Florida that I truly appreciated this tropical fruit. 

The cream cheese perfectly balances the tangy guava jelly and makes everything ultra creamy. Wrapped in flaky puff pastry? KILLER.

I know this pastry braid looks super fancy and complicated, but here's the secret: IT'S SHOCKINGLY SIMPLE. When I first saw a pastry braid, I was so intimidated by how intricate it looked. It felt almost unattainable without tons of practice. But I'm here to tell you that is absolutely not the case!

Here's the whole process:
1️⃣ Roll out puff pastry and cut slits on the sides
2️⃣ Spread cream cheese and guava down the center
3️⃣ Overlap the side pieces to create the braid
4️⃣ Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar
5️⃣ Bake until deep golden brown

THAT'S IT! The braiding technique is so much easier than it looks, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Two critical tips:
-Keep it COLD before baking: Cold puff pastry = steam when it hits the hot oven = flaky layers! If the butter is too warm, it won't puff properly.
-Bake until DEEP golden brown: Not just golden, but DEEP golden. This ensures crispy, flaky pastry that's cooked all the way through. Nobody wants soggy pastry!

This is perfect for brunch, dessert, or honestly just because you want something that looks impressive but is secretly easy to make. You can also substitute any fruit preserves if you can't find guava!

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

#GuavaPastry #PuffPastry #PastryBraid #LatinDesserts #CreamCheese #BrunchRecipes #HomemadePastries #BakingFromScratch #WeekendBaking #ImpressiveButEasy

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