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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Strawberry Peach Sangria

Strawberry Peach Sangria

drinks· Easter· Popular Recipes· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
May 27, 2019

Strawberry Peach Sangria – Fresh strawberries and peaches are added to white white, brandy, and lemon lime soda to make…
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Cookies & Cream Macarons

Cookies & Cream Macarons

Cookies· dessert· Popular Recipes
May 20, 2019

Cookies & Cream Macarons – A classic French cookie, with a cookies & cream twist. Made from a classic French macarons…
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Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus Risotto

Easter· Popular Recipes· sides
May 6, 2019

Asparagus Risotto – Creamy, cheesy homemade risotto is taken up a notch with the addition of crispy asparagus  Risotto is…
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Pistachio Macarons

Pistachio Macarons

Cookies· dessert· Popular Recipes
March 4, 2019

Pistachio Macarons – Nutty, fancy little French macarons made with freshly chopped pistachios and filled with an homemade pistachio buttercream…
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Easy Banana Cake

Easy Banana Cake

cake· dessert· Easter· Popular Recipes
February 28, 2019

Easy Banana Cake – A moist, dense banana sheet cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting.  Cake, cake, cake, cake,…
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Pumpkin Banana Bread

Pumpkin Banana Bread

bread· cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Popular Recipes
November 1, 2018

Pumpkin Banana Bread – Ultra-moist banana bread gets even better with the addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Man,…
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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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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

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

front shot of pumpkin loaf cut into slices

My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf

three Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting on a platter with two cupcakes on a pedestal on top of cotton napkin with whole pecans sprinkled around, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

apple cinnamon monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

close up pork chops on a plate with Dijon apple pan sauce on top and a rosemary garnish

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

two chocolate cherry crepes on a plate with powdered sugar dusted on top

Chocolate Cherry Crepes

Peach & Goat Cheese Crostini on a platter topped with basil and balsamic vinaigrette, shot from a side angle

Peach & Goat Cheese Crostini (+wine pairing)

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

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

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

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

Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal

 

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/

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