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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Whipped Feta with Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

Whipped Feta with Roasted Balsamic Strawberries

dips· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 21, 2022

Whipped Feta with Roasted Balsamic Strawberries – Smooth, whipped feta dip is topped with juicy, roasted balsamic strawberries and served…
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Football Cheeseball

Football Cheeseball

appetizer· dips· Tailgating Recipes
January 24, 2022

Football Cheeseball – A zesty mix of cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and diced veggies are shaped into a football and…
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Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

dips· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
June 11, 2020

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips – Diced strawberry, kiwi, and mango are tossed with a honey & lemon dressing to…
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Mexican Street Corn Queso

Mexican Street Corn Queso

appetizer· dips· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
April 30, 2020

Mexican Street Corn Queso – Creamy white queso is cooked with green chiles and roasted corn to make for a…
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Cheesy Crab Dip

Cheesy Crab Dip

appetizer· dips· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
April 10, 2020

Cheesy Crab Dip – Fresh lump crab meat is tossed with cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and…
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Creamy Skillet Corn Dip

Creamy Skillet Corn Dip

appetizer· dips· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
September 19, 2019

Creamy Skillet Corn Dip – Fresh corn is mixed with fresh jalapenos, cream cheese, sour cream, and Monterrey jack cheese…
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Banana Cream Pie Dip

Banana Cream Pie Dip

dessert· dips· Easter· pie
April 15, 2019

Banana Cream Pie Dip – Creamy, dreamy banana cream pie filling served with vanilla wafers to scoop up into a…
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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 Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

slice of pistachio loaf on a cutting board with the rest of the loaf in the background

Pistachio Loaf

Pumpkin Tres Leches

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

a slice of apple cinnamon stuffed french toast on a plate with powdered sugae

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

a bowl of Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding topped with ice cream with a casserole dish with bread pudding and two pumpkins stacked on top of each other in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

strawberry brioche bun on a gray table

Strawberry Brioche Buns

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp - Creamy, cheesy homemade risotto is taken up a notch with fresh sweet yellow corn and paired perfect with SeaPak Butterfly Shrimp and Clos du Bois Chardonnay.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

close up of chocolate coquito with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a dust of cinnamon and cocoa powder

Chocolate Coquito

a glass dish with pumpkin cinnamon rolls in it with some missing from the center and a spatula with a pumpkin the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

picture of mixed berry almond tart dusted with powdered sugar shot at an angle from the front

Mixed Berry Almond Tart

 

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
These Cornbread Cookies are my new sweet and salty These Cornbread Cookies are my new sweet and salty obsession, you guys! They start out sweet and chewy, much like any other brown sugar cookie. But they finish with a hint of salty cornbread taste. And with the drizzle of honey on top, there is no mistaking that similarity to cornbread! 

These are SO versatile too! Perfect with morning coffee, amazing alongside chili or soup, delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or honestly just slathered with butter! They're like the cookie version of cornbread muffins, but better! 🌟

The sweet and salty combination is absolutely addictive. My family couldn't stop eating them, and I bet yours won't be able to either!

Ready to try these? https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cornbread-cookies/

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