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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· snacks
August 22, 2023

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars – Brown sugar cinnamon filing is placed between shortbread cookie layers. It all gets a…
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Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

bars and brownies· snacks
June 14, 2022

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars – Marshmallow crispy rice bars with peanut butter and a chocolate layer on top Now that…
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Oatmeal Brookie Bars

Oatmeal Brookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· Valentine's Day
June 6, 2022

Oatmeal Brookie Bars – Chewy brownies are topped with cinnamon oatmeal cookie dough and baked together to form a brookie!…
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Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites

Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites

bars and brownies· cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
March 14, 2022

Baileys Cheesecake Brownie Bites – Brownie bottoms are topped with Baileys Irish Cream cheesecake and baked until set. Topped with…
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S’mores Brownies

S’mores Brownies

bars and brownies· dessert
August 12, 2021

S’mores Brownies – Chewy chocolate brownies are baked on a homemade graham cracker crust and then topped with marshmallows that…
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Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 1, 2021

Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches – Vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two soft cinnamon sugar cookies Happy National Ice Cream…
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Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan Pie Brownies

bars and brownies· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
October 19, 2020

Pecan Pie Brownies – Brownies are topped with a sticky pecan pie filling to make for a chocolate dessert perfect…
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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

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

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

zoomed in shot of Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, shot from a side angle

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

warm banana bread with a couple bites removed sitting on a plate with two scoops on butter pecan ice cream stacked on top and caramelized bananas over the top and a spoon on the side

Banana Bread Sundae

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

slices of Pumpkin Banana Bread on a cotton napkin with walnuts sprinkled around and bananas in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Banana Bread

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

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photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

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

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels on a plate with sprigs of herbs in between the pinwheels, shot from overhead

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels

styled shot of Traditional English Trifle

Traditional English Trifle

close up of slices of cranberry orange loaf on a serving platter

Cranberry Orange Loaf

a slice of blackberry doughnut cake is shown slightly removed from the whole cake on a plate

Blackberry Doughnut Cake

 

Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into petals, seasoned, and fried until perfectly crispy. Served with homemade horseradish sauce.

The inspiration for this snack comes from the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse. Making a whole onion seems so intimidating so I never thought to make it at home. But then the thought came to me – why not fried them in little petals instead? They’re also easier to dip than onion rings.

Without further ado, here are the Fried Onion Petals: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/fried-onion-petals/
Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken – Chicken breasts ar Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken – Chicken breasts are stuffed with a garlic herb goat cheese and pan fried until they are cooked through. These are perfect for fun, yet easy weeknight dinner.

Recipe: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/goat-cheese-stuffed-chicken/
Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies ar Double Chocolate Biscotti – Chocolate cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and baked twice to make them extra crispy and perfect for dunking into your favorite hot beverage.

Biscotti is the dessert I never knew I needed. I discovered them in college when I craved a snack while studying for finals. I bought a biscotti at the library coffee shop and dunked it in my coffee. The cookie that I thought was too crunchy suddenly turn soft and chewy. Yum!

Those memories inspired me to make my own biscotti. First, I made these gingerbread biscotti. And then I made this pistachio version. Now, I’m recreating the biscotti I first had many years ago – Double Chocolate Biscotti.

RECIPE: https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/double-chocolate-biscotti/
Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream Classic Fruit Tarts – Rich vanilla pastry cream is filled into a buttery mini tart shell and covered with fresh fruit.

I decided to share a recipe that is (1) perfect to serve during the holidays and (2) absolutely gorgeous to look at. And with that, I present to you my Classic Fruit Tarts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-fruit-tarts/
Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese str Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese straw is flavored with fresh rosemary to give them a sophisticated feel.

I am a snacker, through and through. Before meeting my husband and living together, my meals were not planned out and mostly consisted of a lot of small snacks throughout the day. 

Over time, I learned it’s very hard to coordinate meals and get togethers with others when I’m not super hungry so I learned to adapt. But in my core, I am still a snack lover!

Today’s recipe is my newest snack obsession – Rosemary Cheese Straws

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/rosemary-cheese-straws/

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