• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

appetizer· Easter· Fall Flavors· sides· snacks
March 15, 2024

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta – Organic small carrots are tossed with cumin, paprika and cinnamon and then roasted to…
Read More

Everything Focaccia

Everything Focaccia

bread· snacks
January 9, 2024

Everything Focaccia – Homemade focaccia dough is topped with everything seasoning (salt, poppyseeds, sesame seeds, and onion) and baked to…
Read More

Monte Cristo Pinwheels

Monte Cristo Pinwheels

appetizer· sandwiches & wraps· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
January 5, 2024

Monte Cristo Pinwheels – Puff pastry dough is rolled with black forest ham and Swiss cheese and baked to perfection….
Read More

Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies· dessert· snacks
October 9, 2023

Grown-up Chocolate Chip Cookies – Chocolate chip cookies loaded with finely chopped pistachios, walnuts, and dried cherries. A sprinkle of…
Read More

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars

appetizer· Easter· Holiday Favorites· snacks· Valentine's Day
September 4, 2023

Goat Cheese Phyllo Cigars – Thin phyllo dough is filled with goat cheese and herb filling, rolled into cigars, and…
Read More

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· snacks
August 22, 2023

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars – Brown sugar cinnamon filing is placed between shortbread cookie layers. It all gets a…
Read More

Fried Onion Petals

Fried Onion Petals

appetizer· snacks
June 8, 2023

Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into petals, seasoned, and fried until perfectly crispy. Served with homemade horseradish…
Read More

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 11
  • Next Page »

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

pumpkin challah bread sliced with a knife

Pumpkin Challah Bread

portion of sweet potato gratin being removed from casserole dish, revealing gooey center

Sweet Potato Gratin

close up of two brown sugar cinnamon cookie bars stacked on top of each other

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookie Bars

picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

overhead shot of Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin in a baking dish

Parmesan & Thyme Potatoes Au Gratin

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

Cinnamon Apple Kolaches

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

close up of a slice of pumpkin crumb cake separated from the rest of the cake but not on a plate yet

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

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

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

close up of slice of roasted strawberry bundt cake taken from the side to show the inside of the slice

Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake

Black & White Bundt Cake

a plate of BLT benedicts on a cloth napkin with half a lemon in the background, shot from a side angle

BLT Benedict

 

I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a ca I’ll never forget the first time I bit into a cake that tasted like summer itself: the sun-warmed sweetness of strawberries, carried into every crumb. That memory stayed with me until I decided to capture it in cake form.

This Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake starts with macerating strawberries so their juices deepen, roasting them to intensify flavor, then folding them into a tender, buttery bundt cake that’s bursting with berry brightness. Every slice is soft, moist, and dotted with those roasted ruby surprises.

Comment STRAWBERRY and i'll send you a recipe?

#berrybundtcake 
#roastedstrawberrycake #bundtcakerecipe #summerberries #strawberrydessert #berrybundtcake
The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse The first time I tasted chocolate raspberry mousse, I was at a small café on a rainy afternoon overseas. A spoonful felt like velvet, silky chocolate dancing with tart raspberry, so light it dissolved in your mouth. That memory haunted me until I made it myself.

This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse is my tribute to that moment. Rich dark chocolate, whipped light as air, with a swirl of bright raspberries cutting through the sweetness. Elegant, indulgent, yet surprisingly approachable.

It’s the kind of dessert that feels special, but doesn’t require hours or dozens of ingredients. Sometimes, the most unforgettable dishes are the simplest.

Would you dig into it plain or top it with fresh raspberries & whipped cream?

Comment or DM with a “MOUSSE” and I'll send you a recipe.
#easydesserteasydessert
#chocolateraspberrymousse #raspberrymousse #chocolatemousse #dessertrecipe #easydessert
It all started on a cozy fall evening. I was cravi It all started on a cozy fall evening. I was craving pie + cheesecake, and I couldn’t decide which to make. So I thought: Why not both?

That’s how these Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars came to be. A buttery pecan pie layer rich with toasted pecans and deep caramel, sandwiched over creamy cheesecake, drizzled with chocolate, all baked into a bar you can slice and serve.

Every bite hits: the nutty crunch, the silky cheesecake center, the chocolate swirl that ties it all together. It’s indulgence without the fuss of flipping pies or cutting perfect slices.

Comment “BARS”  and I sent you the link to the recipe. 

#chocolatepecan #piecheesecakebars #dessertbars #pecanpie #cheesecakelove
One rainy Saturday morning, I found myself craving One rainy Saturday morning, I found myself craving something savory, warm, and a little comforting. I rummaged through my fridge, spotted leftover ham, and remembered a quiche I’d always meant to try. 

So I rolled up my sleeves, caramelized onions until golden, whisked eggs and cream, and folded in those ham cubes, and that’s how these Mini Ham & Cheese Quiches with Caramelized Onions were born.

Now, these bite-sized savory pastries are my favorite brunch hack. Flaky crust, sweet onion richness, melty cheese, and just the right amount of ham in every bite. They feel fancy but are totally doable anytime.

#miniquiche #quicherecipes #savorybrunch #hamcheesequiche #brunchideas
Early Tuesday mornings deserve something a little Early Tuesday mornings deserve something a little decadent. Enter my Bananas Foster French Toast Casserole, buttery bread soaked in custard, layered with bananas, drenched in a brown sugar + rum sauce, baked until golden, and finished with a brûlée-style sugar crust.

I first had Bananas Foster at a restaurant in New Orleans and fell in love. Years later, I wanted that same feeling of warmth, sweetness, and drama — so I turned it into a brunch-friendly casserole.

This dish is the perfect blend of comfort and indulgence, especially when brunch calls for something that feels special without the fuss.

💬 Comment “BRÛLEE” below and I’ll DM you the full recipe + my tip to get the caramelized topping just right.

#frenchtoastcasserole #bananasfoster #brunchideas #breakfastcasserole #sweetbreakfast

Copyright © 2025 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet