• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

Fall Flavors· pork entrees
November 20, 2022

Dijon Apple Pork Chops – Pork chops are cooked to perfection and then topped with a Dijon apple pan sauce…
Read More

Potato Dinner Rolls

Potato Dinner Rolls

bread· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
November 14, 2022

Potato Dinner Rolls – Homemade dinner rolls made with 1 cup mashed Russett potatoes to give them a pillowy texture….
Read More

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

breakfast· cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
November 10, 2022

Pumpkin Crumb Cake – Dense pumpkin spice cake is covered with crispy cinnamon crumbs, making it such a great treat…
Read More

Sweet Potato Gratin

Sweet Potato Gratin

Fall Flavors· sides
November 6, 2022

Sweet Potato Gratin – Thinly sliced sweet potatoes are baked with cream and covered in Parmesan cheese to make for…
Read More

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

chicken entrees· Fall Flavors
November 2, 2022

Chicken and Dumplings – Fluffy dumplings are cooked in a pot of homemade creamy chicken soup, making for the ultimate…
Read More

Pumpkin Churros

Pumpkin Churros

dessert· Fall Flavors· pastries
October 23, 2022

Pumpkin Churros – Pumpkin choux dough is fried up in hot oil and then tossed in cinnamon sugar. Churros are…
Read More

Pear Coffee Cake

Pear Coffee Cake

cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
October 10, 2022

Pear Coffee Cake – Slightly spiced coffee cake is sprinkled with fresh pears and topped with a cinnamon oatmeal streusel…
Read More

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • …
  • 14
  • Next Page »

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

slice of carrot snack cake on a pink plate

Carrot Snack Cake

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

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

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

Pumpkin Fettuccine with Sundried Tomatoes

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

close up of two brown sugar cinnamon cookie bars stacked on top of each other

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

photo of cinnamon apple kolaches with granny smith apples in the background

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

Maple Pecan Scones

cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

plate of stack of pistachio pancakes with a bite of them on a fork with pistachios sprinkled around on a cloth napkin, shot from overhead

Pistachio Pancakes

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

Holiday Mule

overhead zoomed in shot of cranberry cookies with white chocolate drizzle

Cranberry Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle

 

Nutella Macarons – delicate French almond cookie Nutella Macarons – delicate French almond cookies filled with chocolate-hazelnut Nutella spread! Classic macarons made with the proper technique learned straight from a pastry chef! 

You guys remember when I made French macarons for the first time and they were a HOT MESS? The tops were cracked and bumpy and looked more like brownies! I was determined to get them right, so I took a macaron baking class in person – and it changed EVERYTHING! 

The trickiest part? Mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. Under mix = too dry and cracked. Over mix = dense and heavy. But now I know exactly what the batter should look like!

Pro tip: Age your egg whites for 24-48 hours before making the meringue – this helps them get to the perfect consistency!

Perfect for Valentine's Day, gift-giving, special occasions, or anytime you want elegant French macarons at home! 🇫🇷

💬 Comment "NUTELLAMACARON" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for French cookie inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves macarons!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/nutella-macarons/
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/

Copyright © 2026 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet