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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Easter· Holiday Favorites· sides
September 20, 2018

Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes – Rustic Yukon gold mashed potatoes made with roasted garlic and extra virgin olive…
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Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries

appetizer· sides· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
August 30, 2018

Cilantro Lime Sweet Potato Fries – Sweet potatoes are tossed in garlic, lime zest, and olive oil, baked to perfection,…
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Caesar Pasta Salad

Caesar Pasta Salad

appetizer· Easter· pizza & pasta· salad· sides· Summertime Favorites
June 28, 2018

Caesar Pasta Salad – Penne pasta is tossed with your favorite Caesar salad ingredients to make for an incredible side…
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Mango Coconut Sticky Rice (+giveaway!)

Mango Coconut Sticky Rice (+giveaway!)

sides
June 21, 2018

I received the Rice and Hot Cereal Cooker used in this recipe from Hamilton Beach but, as always, all opinions…
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Healthy Waldorf Salad

Healthy Waldorf Salad

appetizer· Easter· salad· sides· snacks· Summertime Favorites
April 6, 2018

Healthy Waldorf Salad – This classic salad of apples, grapes, walnuts, and celery is given a healthy makeover with the…
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Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Fall Flavors· sides
October 16, 2017

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes sliced “hasselback-style”, baked to perfection, and finished off with a…
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Pineapple & Melon Fruit Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing

Pineapple & Melon Fruit Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing

appetizer· salad· sides· Summertime Favorites
May 11, 2017

Pineapple & Melon Fruit Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing – A super refreshing fruit salad made with watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew,…
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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

two pints of high road ice cream stacked on top of each other with glass dishes of apple pie sundaes next to them and an apple slice and a apple cut in half in front, shot from the front

Apple Pie Sundae

styled shot of Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits with a pan of pie and a can of whipped cream behind it

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Parfaits

overhead shot of quinoa harvest salad on a plate

Quinoa Harvest Salad

a slice of peach upside down cake on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background

Peach Upside-down Cake

Candied Pecans

pint glass of pumpkin cream cold brew coffee with a metal straw

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

staged shot of pumpkin cinnamon crunch muffins with sprinkled pecans and pumpkins in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Cinnamon Crunch Muffins

overhead zoomed in shot of cranberry cookies with white chocolate drizzle

Cranberry Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle

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

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

plate of Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Snowballs with one on top with a bite out of it and cinnamon sticks next to them, shot from the front

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Snowballs

Apple Pie Cake

 

Italian Herb Wings with Gorgonzola Dipping Sauce – crispy baked wings tossed in garlic, Parmesan, and Italian herbs, served with a creamy Gorgonzola dipping sauce! 🍗

I've been obsessed with wings ever since high school when we'd have 25-cent wing nights at our local pub, you guys! These are a little bit of a step up from those days! 

Instead of my usual teriyaki wings, these are dry wings (not tossed in sauce) coated in the trifecta of flavor – Italian herbs, garlic, and Parmesan! And the best part? They're BAKED, not fried! You can put away that gallon of vegetable oil!

Pro tip: Dry the wings extremely well before coating – excess moisture keeps them from browning! And don't flip them during baking – the longer they're untouched, the deeper the skin will brown!

Perfect for football Sundays, tailgating parties, game day snacks, or anytime you want incredible wings without the fuss! 

💬 Comment "ITALIANWINGS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for game day
📤 SHARE with someone who loves wings!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/italian-herb-wings-gorgonzola-dipping-sauce/
Peach Raspberry Cobbler – fresh peaches and rasp Peach Raspberry Cobbler – fresh peaches and raspberries topped with a cakey, cinnamon-sugar crust that's so incredible you won't even need ice cream!

Cobblers have stolen my heart, you guys! The first cobbler I ever loved was blackberry, but after tasting this peach raspberry version at a work potluck, it took the top spot! 

The secret? That cinnamon sugar crust! It's not just a topping – it's the STAR of the show! The combination of fresh peaches, tart raspberries, and that cakey, cinnamon-sugar-coated crust is pure summer magic!

Pro tip: Let the cobbler cool for at least 15 minutes before serving so the filling can thicken up and it'll be much easier to scoop!

Perfect for summer gatherings, July 4th parties, potlucks, or anytime you want a Southern dessert with a delicious twist! 

💬 Comment "COBBLER" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves fruit desserts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/peach-raspberry-cobbler/
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/

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