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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Atlantic Beach Pie

Atlantic Beach Pie

Easter· pie· Summertime Favorites
August 14, 2016

Atlantic Beach Pie – A summertime pie that tastes like lemon meringue, but made with a saltine cracker crust The…
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Glazed Cherry Hand Pies

Glazed Cherry Hand Pies

Easter· pie· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
August 11, 2016

Glazed Cherry Hand Pies – Super flaky pie crust stuffed with sweet cherry filling and finished with a sweet glaze…
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Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Easter· pie· Summertime Favorites
March 25, 2012

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies – Mini peach hand pies with a hint of bourbon. This week’s baked good was inspired…
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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

a bowl of Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce with a spoon in it and a bowl of brown sugar with a spoon in it on a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Butterscotch Vanilla Bean Sauce

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

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

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

a stack of three Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts on a cloth napkin with more doughnuts around them, shot from the front

Apple Cider Crumb Doughnuts

a cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

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

plate of mini ham and cheese quiche with caramelized onions and a plan of quiche in the back

Mini Ham & Cheese Quiche with Caramelized Onions

slices of iced pumpkin scones drizzled with frosting on a wire rack on top of parchment paper, shot from overhead

Iced Pumpkin Scones

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

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

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

a casserole dish of Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole on top of a cloth napkin with a bowl of mixed berries next to it, shot from overhead

Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole

 

These Bacon & Gruyere Sliders with Beer Caramelize These Bacon & Gruyere Sliders with Beer Caramelized Onions are about to be your new game day MVP!

Y'all, the flavor combination here is UNREAL. Salty bacon + nutty gruyere cheese + sweet beer caramelized onions = pure perfection. These are the kind of sliders that make people ask for the recipe immediately!

Here's what makes them special:
✨ Beer caramelized onions (game-changer!)
✨ Mini burgers = perfect for tasting everything
✨ Gruyere cheese adds that gourmet touch
✨ Feeds a crowd (makes 12 sliders!)

Pro tip: The caramelized onions take about an hour, but you can make them the day before and just reheat! That way, game day is stress-free and you can actually enjoy the party 

Perfect for:
🏈 Super Bowl parties
🏟️ Tailgating
🍔 BBQs and cookouts
🎊 Any time you're feeding a crowd

The best part? Using those sweet slider buns that are the perfect size and have just a hint of sweetness to balance all those savory flavors. These aren't your average burgers – they're loaded with flavor in every single bite!

Ready to win game day with these sliders?  Comment "SLIDERS" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs! 

#sliders #gamedayfood #burgerrecipes
All the flavor of an old-fashioned doughnut, but i All the flavor of an old-fashioned doughnut, but in cake form!

This Blackberry Doughnut Cake is about to be your new holiday baking obsession. Dense coffee cake with a hint of nutmeg (that's the secret doughnut flavor!), filled with blackberry preserves, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It's EVERYTHING.

Here's why this is genius:
✨ Way easier than making real doughnuts (no frying!)
✨ That nutmeg gives it authentic doughnut flavor
✨ Blackberry preserves add a fruity surprise in the center
✨ Cinnamon sugar coating = pure magic

The best part? No stand mixer needed! This batter comes together so simply, and the results are absolutely stunning. It's like having a giant gourmet doughnut you can slice and share.

Pro tips:
🔥 Warm the milk before mixing with butter
🎨 Use a piping bag to layer the preserves (keeps them centered!)
❄️ Cool completely before coating in sugar

Perfect for holiday mornings, weekend brunch, or any time you want to impress with minimal effort. The cinnamon sugar coating is totally reminiscent of those classic doughnuts, but you get to skip all the frying hassle!

Ready to bake something amazing? Comment "DOUGHNUT" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs! 💌
#doughnutcake #coffeecake #holidaybaking
These Sausage, Egg & Cheese Pastry Muffins are abo These Sausage, Egg & Cheese Pastry Muffins are about to become your new breakfast obsession!

During the cold winter months, I crave all the comforting breakfast foods – and these hit EVERY note. Flaky puff pastry cups filled with savory sausage, sharp cheddar, and fluffy eggs, baked to crispy golden perfection. They're basically portable breakfast heaven!

Here's why you need these in your life:
✨ Perfect for holiday mornings (Christmas, Easter, brunch!)
✨ Makes 18 muffins – great for meal prep
✨ Only 45 minutes from start to finish
✨ Everyone loves them (kids took them for lunch!)

The best part? Working with puff pastry is SO much easier than you think. Just keep it cold, and you'll have flaky, buttery results every time. 

Pro tip: Don't overfill with the egg mixture – it puffs up as it bakes!

These are perfect for:
🎄 Christmas morning breakfast
🐰 Easter brunch
🎉 Weekend entertaining
💼 Meal prep for busy mornings
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Feeding a crowd

One reader said she made these for her kids' lunch and they LOVED them. That's the kind of parent win we all need!

Ready to make breakfast magic happen? Comment "BREAKFAST" below and I'll send the full recipe straight to your DMs!

#breakfastmuffins #puffpastry #brunchrecipes #holidaybreakfast #mealprep
This Classic Crumb Cake is EXACTLY like the one fr This Classic Crumb Cake is EXACTLY like the one from Starbucks – maybe even better! 

Y'all know I worked at Starbucks in college, and this crumb cake was my absolute OBSESSION. Soft, moist cake (hello, sour cream!) topped with thick cinnamon crumbs that just melt in your mouth. Paired with a coffee frappuccino? Pure heaven.

Here's what makes this recipe amazing:
✨ Ready in under 1 hour (rise and bake!)
✨ Super simple ingredients you probably have at home
✨ That sour cream makes it incredibly moist
✨ Perfect crumb-to-cake ratio

The best part? You probably don't even need to make a grocery run. No supermarket visits in pajamas today! 

This is perfect for lazy weekend mornings, Christmas Day breakfast, or whenever you want something special without the fuss. My husband kept complimenting it with EVERY. SINGLE. BITE. (Not that I'm complaining!)

Pro tip: Refrigerate the crumb mixture while you make the batter – this is KEY to getting those perfect crumbs on top! If you skip this step, they'll melt into the cake and you'll lose that amazing texture.

Want the full recipe with all my tips? Comment "CRUMB" below and I'll send it straight to your DMs!

#crumbcake #coffeecake #breakfastrecipes #starbuckscopycat #brunchideas
This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta g This Cacio e Pepe Pasta Risotto changed my pasta game forever!

After having mind-blowing cacio e pepe at Eataly in Boston, I became obsessed with recreating it at home. But here's the problem: the traditional recipe only makes small portions. So I had a lightbulb moment – what if I cooked it risotto-style to feed a crowd?!

The result? Pure magic. By cooking short pasta (I use ditalini!) slowly in chicken broth, you get an ultra-creamy, luscious texture without any cream. Just simple Italian ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh black pepper, butter, and good olive oil.

Here's what makes this amazing:
✨ Feeds a crowd (perfect for dinner parties!)
✨ Only 7 ingredients, but packed with flavor
✨ Takes 30 minutes but worth every second
✨ Creamy without any cream

The key? Using the BEST ingredients – fresh ground black pepper and quality extra virgin olive oil make all the difference. And cooking that pepper in the oil at the beginning? That's what gives it that signature cacio e pepe punch!

Pro tip: Dice those onions super small so they don't overpower each bite. Trust me on this one

Ready to make restaurant-quality Italian pasta at home? Comment "PASTA" below and I'll send the full recipe to your DMs! 

#cacioepepe #pastarisotto #italianfood #pastarecipes #dinnerparty

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