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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Salmon Rice Bowls

Salmon Rice Bowls

seafood· seafood entrees
February 17, 2022

Salmon Rice Bowls – Pan fried salmon is covered in spices, honey, and a pinch of parsley and layered in…
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Easy Teriyaki Salmon

Easy Teriyaki Salmon

seafood· seafood entrees· Valentine's Day
January 13, 2022

Easy Teriyaki Salmon – One of my go-to meals for weeknights. This salmon only needs 20 minutes to marinade and…
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Grilled Shrimp Summer Salad

Grilled Shrimp Summer Salad

salad· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
August 10, 2021

Grilled Shrimp Summer Salad – Grilled shrimp is placed on top of a bed of romaine lettuce, sliced avocado, and…
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Shrimp & Crab Cake

Shrimp & Crab Cake

appetizer· Easter· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
August 6, 2021

Shrimp & Crab Cake – Lump crab is mixed with pieces of shrimp and breadcrumbs and pan fried to make…
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Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

appetizer· Easter· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
October 12, 2020

Spicy Shrimp with Cilantro Dipping Sauce – Shrimp is coated in a mixture of spices and grilled to perfection. Served…
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Lobster Rolls

Lobster Rolls

seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
June 1, 2020

Lobster Rolls – Refreshing, rich lobster rolls made with mayo, lemon juice, celery and chives and served on a butter…
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Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas

appetizer· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
May 4, 2020

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas – Poached shrimp tossed with a citrus vinaigrette, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions and placed on top of…
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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

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

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

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

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

zoomed in shot of Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

zoomed in shot of Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, shot from a side angle

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

a plate of pie crust chips with a bowl of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip on it and a jar of caramel behind it, shot from a side angle

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Dip with Pie Crust Chips

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

Carrot Raisin Muffins

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

nutella fruit waffle on a white plate with waffles and fruit in the background

Nutella Fruit Waffle

a slice of blackberry doughnut cake is shown slightly removed from the whole cake on a plate

Blackberry Doughnut Cake

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

a corner shot of a plate of Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies with a shaker of powdered sugar in the background, shot from a side angle

Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies

overhead shot of slices of pear coffee cake

Pear Coffee Cake

 

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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