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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Cookies· dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· Popular Recipes
September 6, 2018

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies – Vanilla frosting is sandwiched between two chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies to make the perfect spiced…
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Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 12, 2018

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce – Made with butter, brown sugar, cream, and a vanilla bean, this sauce is just what…
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Sour Cream Doughnuts

Sour Cream Doughnuts

breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Holiday Favorites· pastries
June 18, 2018

Sour Cream Doughnuts – Dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside, these sour cream doughnuts…
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Pistachio Biscotti

Pistachio Biscotti

Cookies· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
April 3, 2018

Pistachio Biscotti – Chopped pistachios are baked into these Italian cookies that are perfect for dunking into your coffee or…
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Slow Cooker Short Ribs

Slow Cooker Short Ribs

beef entrees· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
March 29, 2018

Slow Cooker Short Ribs – Beef short ribs are cooked in a slow cooker to help break down the meat…
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Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Easter· Holiday Favorites· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
March 2, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Clos du Bois and SeaPak. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The following…
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Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

cake· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
February 26, 2018

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake – Cheesecake made with vanilla beans and then layered with a vanilla bean white chocolate mousse. The…
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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

closeup of mini pumpkin doughnut muffins with one with a bite out of it

Mini Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

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

Carrot Raisin Muffins

close up of sliced loaf of chocolate cinnamon babka with the center exposed to see the beautiful swirl of chocolate

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

Cinnamon Latte Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin Tres Leches

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

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

berry pavlova sitting on a baking sheet with parchment paper

Berry Pavlova

photo taken from the right side of oasted greek lemon potatoes sitting in a dark 9x13 pan

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies on a baking sheet with sprinkles on top

Soft, Frosted Sugar Cookies

a short glass with a gold rim filled with cherry bourbon spritz and a garnish of rosemary twig

Cherry Bourbon Spritz

 

Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaig Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – crispy roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a tangy, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette! 

If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be posting a brussels sprouts recipe on this blog, I wouldn't have believed you, you guys! All I knew about them was that they were a stinky vegetable nobody liked!

Then all of a sudden, brussels sprouts were on EVERY menu at EVERY restaurant I visited! I was shocked! So when my girlfriends ordered a large side to share at dinner, I decided to try them – and I was CONVERTED! 😍

They were roasted until crispy, coated in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was tangy, crispy, and sweet! Now I'm sharing MY version so you can convert brussels sprout haters too!

Pro tip: Toss the brussels sprouts in the vinaigrette while they're still hot so they absorb all those amazing flavors!

Perfect for holiday dinners, dinner parties or anytime you need a delicious side dish! 

💬 Comment "SPROUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for entertaining
📤 SHARE with a brussels sprout hater!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/roasted-brussel-sprouts-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned wi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned with mustard and Worcestershire, stuffed with American cheese and pickles, all wrapped in a crispy wonton wrapper! Served with a tangy burger sauce for dipping! 

Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do, you guys! But when I decide to, it's gotta be worth it! And these cheeseburger egg rolls are TOTALLY worth it! You just can't get the same crisp on the wonton wrapper in the oven or air fryer!

The filling is just like a classic cheeseburger – ground beef, American cheese, a pickle, and just a hint of mustard! And the burger sauce with ketchup, mustard, and relish rounds out those classic burger flavors!

Pro tip: Drain the beef extremely well! Any excess oil will put holes in the wonton wrapper while it's frying!

Perfect for appetizers, game day, parties, tailgating, or anytime you want cheeseburger flavor in a crispy, fun package! 🍟

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

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cheeseburger-egg-rolls/
Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the cl Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the classic! Spongy cake soaked in three milks (including coconut cream instead of heavy cream!) and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut! 

Despite my Hispanic heritage, tres leches is something I only started loving in my 20s, you guys! And when I did? I was almost ANGRY I had waited so long to try it!

I love taking classic recipes and giving them unique twists! For this one, I replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream and topped it with toasted coconut – because I LOVE coconut cream cake! The result? The best of both worlds – all the tres leches flavor with all the coconut goodness!

Pro tip: Make this cake a day in advance and let it sit overnight! Tres leches gets BETTER over time, and it makes a world of difference!

One of the best desserts I've made in a while – seriously, your mind will be blown with every bite! 

💬 Comment "TRESLECHES" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for dessert inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves coconut!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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