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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels

appetizer· sides· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
December 1, 2022

Broccoli Cheese Pinwheels – Puff pastry is rolled up with cream cheese, broccoli, and shredded cheese. They’re sliced into pinwheels…
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Fried Cheese Curds with Buttermilk Ranch

Fried Cheese Curds with Buttermilk Ranch

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
October 17, 2022

Fried Cheese Curds with Buttermilk Ranch – Cheese curds are dipped in a beer batter and fried to golden perfection….
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Snickerdoodle Biscotti

Snickerdoodle Biscotti

breakfast· dessert· snacks
September 16, 2022

Snickerdoodle Biscotti – Crispy vanilla biscotti covered in cinnamon sugar and dipped in white chocolate. The perfect accompaniment to a…
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Soft Pretzels

Soft Pretzels

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
September 6, 2022

Soft Pretzels – Homemade, chewy dough is twisted in a pretzel shape, dipped in a soda bath, and baked until…
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Tomato Pesto Focaccia

Tomato Pesto Focaccia

appetizer· bread· pizza & pasta· snacks
August 23, 2022

Tomato Pesto Focaccia – Homemade focaccia dough is topped with basil pesto and fresh tomatoes, then baked to perfection. Baking…
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Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars

bars and brownies· snacks
June 14, 2022

Crispy Peanut Butter Bars – Marshmallow crispy rice bars with peanut butter and a chocolate layer on top Now that…
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Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

chicken entrees· snacks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
May 16, 2022

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings – Wings are fried until perfectly crispy and then tossed in a zesty lemon pepper…
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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

apple cinnamon charlotte sitting on a plate with cinnamon sabayon sliced in half to reveal the apples in the center

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

Apple Pie Cake

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

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

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 hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

zoomed in shot of chocolate snickerdoodles on parchment paper with a spoon in front, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp - Creamy, cheesy homemade risotto is taken up a notch with fresh sweet yellow corn and paired perfect with SeaPak Butterfly Shrimp and Clos du Bois Chardonnay.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

zoomed in shot of a plate of sliced classic tiramisu with a glass dish of tiramisu in the background, shot from the front

Classic Tiramisu

styled shot of Pistachio Biscotti on a table with shelled pistachios sprinkled around, shot from a side angle

Pistachio Biscotti

styled shot of Traditional English Trifle

Traditional English Trifle

 

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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