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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Bourbon Peach Smash

Bourbon Peach Smash

drinks· Summertime Favorites· Tailgating Recipes
August 14, 2023

Bourbon Peach Smash – Fresh peaches are smashed with mint leaves, bourbon whiskey, and a little honey and then served…
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Peach Upside-down Cake

Peach Upside-down Cake

cake· dessert· Fall Flavors· Summertime Favorites
August 11, 2023

Peach upside-down Cake – Fresh peaches are baked under an almond-flavored cake and then inverted to reveal perfectly cooked peaches…
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Strawberry Pound Cake Sundae

Strawberry Pound Cake Sundae

cake· dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
July 6, 2023

Strawberry Pound Cake Sundae – A slice of buttery pound cake is grilled and then topped with vanilla bean ice…
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Chicken Caesar Wrap

Chicken Caesar Wrap

chicken entrees· salad· sandwiches & wraps· Summertime Favorites
June 30, 2023

Chicken Caesar Wrap – Romaine lettuce is tossed with homemade Caesar dressing, grilled chicken, Parmesan cheese, and croutons and then…
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Georgia Peach Salad

Georgia Peach Salad

chicken entrees· salad· Summertime Favorites
June 26, 2023

Georgia Peach Salad – Mixed greens are tossed with grilled chicken, fresh Georgia peaches, pecans, goat cheese crumbles, grape tomatoes,…
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Watermelon Basil Lemonade

Watermelon Basil Lemonade

drinks· Easter· Summertime Favorites
May 29, 2023

Watermelon Basil Lemonade – Homemade lemonade sweetened with basil sugar and fresh watermelon juice. There are a few things as…
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Blueberry Mojito

Blueberry Mojito

drinks· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 9, 2023

Blueberry Mojito – Crushed mint and blueberries are mixed together with rum, sugar, and lime juice and then served over…
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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 pork chops on a plate with Dijon apple pan sauce on top and a rosemary garnish

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

angled view of cup of dirt pudding

Cup of Dirt Pudding

plate of pecan sticky bun

Pecan Sticky Buns

two mugs of Cinnamon Maple Latte topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with pecans with dunkin donuts creamer and a stack of pumpkins on top of a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Maple Latte

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

Sage & Browned Butter Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

photo of two glasses of sangria with the pitcher in the background

Cranberry Apple Sangria

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

styled shot of Chocolate Chip Cookies Bites with Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Fudge Frosting

a purple plate with 4 churro waffles

Churro Waffles

mallorca sweet buns on a wire rack over a sheet pan

Mallorca Sweet Bread

 

Caesar Pasta Salad – penne pasta tossed with all Caesar Pasta Salad – penne pasta tossed with all your favorite Caesar salad ingredients! 🥗

I'm not usually a huge creamy pasta salad fan, you guys, but this one BLEW ME AWAY! The homemade Caesar dressing adds SO much bold flavor and only gets better as time goes by! 

The combo of crispy romaine, perfectly al dente pasta, juicy tomatoes, and that incredible dressing? Perfection!

Pro tip: Shred your own Parmesan cheese! Pre-shredded is too thick – freshly shredded blends into the salad SO much better!

Perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, picnics, or anytime you need an amazing pasta salad! ☀️

💬 Comment "CAESAR" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves Caesar salad!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/caesar-pasta-salad
#PastaSalad #CaesarSalad #SummerSalad #PastaSaladRecipe #SummerSide #SummerRecipes #EasySalad #HomemadeDressing #PastaSalads #SummerFood
Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – grilled shrim Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – grilled shrimp covered in a spicy, creamy, sweet chili sauce!

Grilling is my FAVORITE, you guys! Those charred grill marks add SO much flavor! This is my grilled twist on the classic fried Bang Bang Shrimp from that upscale seafood restaurant – healthier and just as delicious! 

The sauce is simply mayo + sweet chili sauce + sriracha. SO easy!

Pro tip: Taste your sauce first and add more sriracha if needed – mine was too mild so I kept adding more! And soak those wooden skewers for 30 minutes so they don't catch fire!

Perfect for summer BBQs, pool parties, or anytime you want easy grilled appetizers! 

💬 Comment "BANGBANG" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for grilling season
📤 SHARE with someone who loves shrimp!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/grilled-bang-bang-shrimp-skewers

#BangBangShrimp #GrilledShrimp #ShrimpSkewers #BBQRecipes #GrilledSeafood #ShrimpRecipes #PoolPartyFood #OutdoorCooking #SummerFood
Carrot Snack Cake – a single-layer carrot cake t Carrot Snack Cake – a single-layer carrot cake topped with homemade cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with chopped pecans!

Easter isn't the same without carrot cake, but who has time for a three-layer version anymore? Not me! This snack cake has ALL the classic flavors – cinnamon, carrot, nutmeg, brown sugar, pecans – with HALF the effort! 

Made in a 9x9 pan and you can even frost it right in the pan for extra simplicity!
Pro tip: Freshly shred your carrots – they're softer and taste SO much better than pre-shredded matchstick carrots!

Perfect for Easter, spring gatherings, potlucks, or anytime you want carrot cake without the fuss! 

💬 Comment "CARROTCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for easy baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves carrot cake!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/carrot-snack-cake/
#CarrotCake #CarrotSnackCake #EasterDessert #SpringDesserts #EasyCake #CakeRecipes #HomemadeCake #SpringBaking #EasyDessert #SheetCake
Mixed Berry Fool – a no-bake British dessert mad Mixed Berry Fool – a no-bake British dessert made from sweetened smashed berries folded into fresh whipped cream!

I learned about this from my Great British Baking Show binges, you guys! A "fool" is just crushed fruit folded into whipped cream – SO simple! This version uses strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries for the perfect spring treat!

Everyone in my family loved this! Creamy, light, tart, and sweet all at once!
Pro tip: Chill the berries for 15 minutes but DON'T let them freeze – stir occasionally to prevent ice crystals!

Perfect for Easter, Valentine's Day, spring brunches, or anytime you need an elegant no-bake dessert! 🌸

💬 Comment "BERRYFOOL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for spring entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves berries

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/mixed-berry-fool

#MixedBerryFool #BerryFool #NoBakeDessert #SpringDesserts #BritishDessert #EasterDessert #BerryDessert #FreshBerries #SummerDessert #BrunchDessert
Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts – rich brioche doughn Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts – rich brioche doughnuts tossed in cinnamon sugar, sliced in half, and stuffed with gooey fried apples! 

I LOVE slider doughnuts, you guys! They're stuffed with SO much filling that you can't just pump it into the center – you have to slice them like a burger bun! These fall-inspired beauties are filled with sticky, sweet, crispy fried apples!

The secret? Brioche dough chilled overnight makes them extra tender and fluffy. Don't worry when they turn super brown when frying – that's just the extra butter and eggs!

Pro tip: Use a candy thermometer to keep oil at 360°F – perfect temp for fluffy doughnuts!

Perfect for brunch or anytime you want bakery-level doughnuts at home! 

💬 Comment "APPLEPIE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/apple-pie-slider-doughnuts/

#ApplePieDoughnuts #SliderDoughnuts #HomemadeDoughnuts #BriocheDoughnuts #ApplePie #DoughnutRecipes #CinnamonSugar #FallTreats #BreakfastIdeas

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