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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Goat Cheese & Honey Phyllo Triangles

Goat Cheese & Honey Phyllo Triangles

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pastries· snacks
December 14, 2020

Goat Cheese & Honey Phyllo Triangles – Thin phyllo pastry is filled with goat cheese and honey, baked, and served…
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French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

appetizer· soup
November 16, 2020

French Onion Soup – Caramelized onions create the base for this soup, which is served with a crouton and melted…
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Cheeseball Bites

Cheeseball Bites

appetizer· Holiday Favorites· snacks
October 26, 2020

Cheeseball Bites – Cream cheese is mixed with spices and cheddar cheese, rolled into mini balls, and rolled in a…
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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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Spiced Peach Butter

Spiced Peach Butter

appetizer· snacks· Summertime Favorites
August 24, 2020

Spiced Peach Butter – Fresh peaches are slowly cooked with spices and sugar until much of their water has evaporated…
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Tomato Panzanella Salad

Tomato Panzanella Salad

appetizer· Easter· salad· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
June 29, 2020

Tomato Panzanella Salad – Crispy bread is tossed with a homemade vinaigrette, tomatoes, red onion, basil, and cucumber to make…
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Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Skewers

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Skewers

appetizer· chicken entrees· pork entrees· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
June 25, 2020

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Skewers – Skewers are loaded with BBQ chicken, pineapple chunks, ham, and red onion and grilled to…
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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

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

overhead shot of spiced carrots on a bed of whipped feta dip

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

apple pie egg roll dipping in caramel sauce

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

overhead shot of partially eaten baked carrot cake oatmeal in casserole dish with serving spoon

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

carrot raisin muffins stacked on top of each other and sitting on a purple plate

Carrot Raisin Muffins

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holiday favorite

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath on parchment paper with thyme sprigs and a dish of dipping sauce in the center with cans of dr pepper and plates in the background, shot from a side angle

Pigs in a Blanket Wreath

a plate of BLT benedicts on a cloth napkin with half a lemon in the background, shot from a side angle

BLT Benedict

two copper mugs filled with holiday mule drinks and a pitcher in the background

Holiday Mule

styled shot of Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

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

Mixed Berry Fool

 

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! Pumpkin butter i The Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron! 

Pumpkin butter is just like apple butter – a spreadable puree of deliciousness with tons of spices – but made with pumpkin puree instead of apple (duh). I've seen pumpkin butter sold in stores (near the jams and jellies) but it wasn't available at my store yet. 

So I just made my own using a recipe from Skinnytaste. I only made a half-batch and it was more than enough!

Side note: I've been using the leftover pumpkin butter to flavor my coffee in the mornings. Just a teaspoon goes a long way! 

Why these are special: These macarons are so delicate, yet chewy and BEYOND flavorful, you guys! Move over, pumpkin spice latte, there's a new favorite pumpkin treat in town! 

These are restaurant-quality French cookies you can make at home! Yes, they take some practice and attention to detail, but they're SO worth it! The "wow" factor alone is incredible, and they taste even better than they look!

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-macarons/
These babies are called Peanut Butter Blossoms! T These babies are called Peanut Butter Blossoms!

The peanut butter cookie base is so soft and chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness from the sugar coating. And that Hershey Kiss on top? It's not just decoration – it's an essential part of the experience! Every bite has peanut butter AND chocolate!

Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday cookie exchanges, bake sales, homemade gifts, or honestly ANY time you're craving that classic peanut butter and chocolate combo! 

Ready to make these classics? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/peanut-butter-blossoms/
These Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies have so many el These Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies have so many elements that it was really hard to name them! They're chewy, chocolatey, minty, have a layer of buttercream, and a nice dollop of fudge on top. I decided 4 words were the max I could use when naming them so I settled on mint chocolate fudge cookies!

Mint cookies have long been a love of mine, whether it's a thin mint or mint cookie ice cream. I love the duo of chocolate and mint together, but it is EVEN better when the chocolate is in the form of a cookie! 

March tends to be the unofficial month of mint because of St. Patrick's Day and the Shamrock Shake at McDonald's making its annual appearance this time of year. So I had to give you a fun, new mint cookie to celebrate these flavors! 

Perfect for St. Patrick's Day parties, cookie exchanges, gifts for mint chocolate lovers, or any time you want to impress with a stunning cookie! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/mint-chocolate-fudge-cookies/
I present to you my Pigs in a Blanket Wreath! The I present to you my Pigs in a Blanket Wreath!

The wreath isn't hard to assemble at all! You just make the little pigs in a blanket like you normally do - using crescent dough and mini hot dogs - but just arrange them in a ring and bake. Simple as that! I added a little poppy seeds to step up the presentation a little. But if you have picky little eaters, you can leave them off!

About that dipping sauce... When serving the wreath, don't forget the dipping sauce! I love honey mustard with my hot dogs so that's what I wanted to serve with this wreath. But not just any honey mustard. No, no. This is a Dr Pepper honey mustard, guys! I make a killer Dr Pepper mustard glaze for my Thanksgiving ham so I know first-hand how well Dr Pepper pairs with the mustard flavors! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/pigs-in-a-blanket-wreath/
For this Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese, I've topped For this Roasted Tomato Mac & Cheese, I've topped it with roasted tomatoes to help balance out the richness of the cheese and pasta. Because the tomatoes are roasted, they have a similar flavor you would find in a tomato soup. And we all know how incredible cheese and tomato soup go together! 

The combination of creamy, rich mac and cheese with those slightly acidic, charred roasted tomatoes is PERFECTION. It's like eating grilled cheese with tomato soup, but elevated! The tomatoes cut through the richness in the best way possible.

Perfect for cozy nights, family dinners, or potlucks! 

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

#MacAndCheese #ComfortFood #PastaRecipes

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