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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Cinnamon Maple Latte

Cinnamon Maple Latte

drinks· Fall Flavors
October 3, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DunkinCreamers #CollectiveBias Cinnamon…
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Tropical Red Bull Margaritas

Tropical Red Bull Margaritas

drinks· Summertime Favorites
September 27, 2017

This post has been sponsored by The Kroger Co. Family of Stores in celebration of #HispanicHeritageMonth. As always, all opinions are…
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Electric Orange Pisco Sour

Electric Orange Pisco Sour

drinks
September 22, 2017

Electric Orange Pisco Sour – The traditional Peruvian drink is given a modern makeover with the addition of Red Bull Energy…
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Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch

Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch

drinks
August 7, 2017

Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch – A refreshing spiked punch made with fresh lemon juice, muddled blackberries, and a homemade blackberry &…
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The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake

The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake

dessert· drinks· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
July 27, 2017

The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake – Your classic cookies & cream milkshake is taken up a notch with the…
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Watermelon Margaritas

Watermelon Margaritas

drinks· Popular Recipes· Summertime Favorites
June 19, 2017

Watermelon Margaritas – A refreshing margarita that is made with fresh watermelon juice, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and silver tequila….
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Red, White, & Blue Sangria

Red, White, & Blue Sangria

drinks· Summertime Favorites
May 15, 2017

Red, White, & Blue Sangria – A refreshing white sangria made with dry white wine, brandy, and tons of strawberries…
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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

pumpkin cinnamon pull apart loaf with a center slice visable

Pumpkin Cinnamon Pull Apart Loaf

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

portion of sweet potato gratin being removed from casserole dish, revealing gooey center

Sweet Potato Gratin

overhead shot of bright pumpkin fettuccine on a white plate with sundried tomatoes and wilted spinach throughout

Pumpkin Fettuccine with Sundried Tomatoes

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

zoomed in shot of a plate of stacked chocolate gingerbread truffles with one with a bite out of it, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

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

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

two powdered sugar doughnuts on a wood plate with more doughnuts in the background

Powdered Sugar Doughnuts

styled shot of Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps

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

side shot of banana bread doughnuts on a purple plate with more doughnuts in the background

Banana Bread Doughnuts

 

Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in a jus made of beef broth, carrots, celery, and onions! Balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mustard give that jus a kick of flavor! 

Cold weather is in full effect, you guys! So comfort food needs to be on the menu! My husband wanted to try a good pot roast, so I used a combination of recipes to come up with the perfect one! 

The secret? Traditional aromatics (carrots, celery, onions) PLUS balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard set this roast apart with a tangy kick!

Pro tip: Sear the roast first to give it beautiful color on the outside – if you skip this step, the meat will look almost gray when cooked in the broth!

💬 Comment "POTROAST" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for comfort meals
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pot roast!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-pot-roast/
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – fluffy pillows of sweet potato dumplings tossed in a sage and browned butter sauce for a comforting pasta dish you didn't know you needed! 

This gnocchi was inspired by a dish I had at a local restaurant years ago, you guys! I was skeptical about sweet potato gnocchi with just butter and sage – no cream? no tomato? But MAN, was I wrong! 

The sweet potato gnocchi is even MORE flavorful than the original! It shines on its own with little help from a heavy sauce – that's why it pairs so perfectly with a light toss in sage and browned butter!

Pro tip: Use a potato ricer to break up the sweet potatoes – don't use a food processor or it will make the gnocchi gummy and pasty! The ricer makes it super fluffy!

Perfect for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, date nights, or anytime you want restaurant-quality comfort food at home! 

💬 Comment "GNOCCHI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall cooking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pasta!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-sage-browned-butter/
Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the o Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside! Your favorite old-fashioned cake doughnuts ready in half the time as yeast doughnuts!

These are also known as old-fashioned doughnuts, you guys! They're bulky, firm on the outside, but oh-so-moist on the inside! The BEST combination of textures – crunchy yet chewy, dense yet moist! 

I fell in love with these at a local bakery, and now my husband surprises me with them from time to time! Do I have a great man or what?!

Pro tip: Don't roll the dough too thin or the doughnuts will turn to hockey pucks when you fry them! You're better off making the dough too thick than too thin!

Perfect for weekend breakfast, Easter morning, brunch, or anytime you want homemade doughnuts without the wait! 

💬 Comment "DOUGHNUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for weekend baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sour-cream-doughnuts
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed wi Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, then baked until creamy perfection! 

I'm more of a green enchiladas fan than red, you guys! While this sauce isn't traditional green enchilada sauce, it's got similar flavor notes! Plus, with the added milk, it's super creamy and decadent! 

The secret? A roux makes the sauce ultra creamy without needing tons of heavy cream!

Pro tip: Don't skip the lime juice! It's KEY to balancing out the flavors – this is NOT an optional ingredient!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, dinner parties, family dinners, or anytime you want creamy enchiladas! 🎉

💬 Comment "POBLANO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for Cinco de Mayo
📤 SHARE with someone who loves enchiladas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/creamy-poblano-enchiladas/
Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cum Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cumin-spiced beef and tomato mixture!

These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, you guys! Small party-perfect size (makes about 20!) with super flavorful filling that's NOT spicy – everyone will love them! 😍

Made with my classic pie dough for the flakiest crust, then filled with seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes!

Pro tip: Make sure to chill the dough before rolling it out – this lets it rest and firm up so it gets nice and flaky while baking!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, game day, meal prep, or anytime you want delicious hand-held snacks!

💬 Comment "EMPANADAS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for party planning
📤 SHARE with someone who loves empanadas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/beef-empanadas

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