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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Southern Cobb Salad

Southern Cobb Salad

chicken entrees· salad· Summertime Favorites
May 7, 2018

Southern Cobb Salad – A Southern take on a Cobb salad, loaded with fried chicken tenders, fresh strawberries, grapes, Granny…
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Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars

Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars

bars and brownies· Cookies· dessert· pie· Summertime Favorites
May 3, 2018

Kentucky Derby Cookie Bars – You haven’t had derby pie like this – a chocolate chip cookie crust is topped…
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Pineapple Sorbet

Pineapple Sorbet

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
April 19, 2018

Pineapple Sorbet – Only three ingredients are required to make this refreshing pineapple sorbet at home! I know it’s only…
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Homemade Grapefruit Soda

Homemade Grapefruit Soda

drinks· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 16, 2018

Homemade Grapefruit Soda – Homemade grapefruit syrup is added to sparkling water and finished with crushed ice and a pink…
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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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Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Sweet Corn Risotto with Crispy Shrimp (+ wine pairing)

Easter· Holiday Favorites· seafood· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
March 2, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Clos du Bois and SeaPak. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The following…
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Birthday Cake Remix Ice Cream

Birthday Cake Remix Ice Cream

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
February 8, 2018

Birthday Cake Remix Ice Cream – The famous ice cream flavor from Coldstone Creamery can now be created at home. Made…
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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 monkey bread with a chunk out of it and sliced apples in front, shot from a side angle

Apple Cinnamon Monkey Bread

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

Sweet Potato Gratin

zoomed in shot of a bowl of sweet potato gnocchi, shot from a side angle

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter

styled shot of Sweet Yeast Rolls on a plate with a bowl of Whipped Pumpkin Butter and a basket of rolls and a pumpkin in the background, shot from a side angle

Sweet Yeast Rolls with Whipped Pumpkin Butter

Apple Pie Cake

close up pork chops on a plate with Dijon apple pan sauce on top and a rosemary garnish

Dijon Apple Pork Chops

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

Fudge Striped Cookies on a wire rack drizzled chocolate, shot from a side angle

Fudge Striped Cookies

a purple plate with 4 churro waffles

Churro Waffles

a pie plate of berry crumble pie, shot from overhead

Berry Crumble Pie

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels on a plate with sprigs of herbs in between the pinwheels, shot from overhead

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels

a plate of Peanut Butter Blossoms and a wrapped hershey kiss next to them and a pan of more cookies and hershey kisses in the background, shot from a side angle

Peanut Butter Blossoms

 

Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels – leftover turkey rol Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels – leftover turkey rolled in a wrap with cranberry rosemary cream cheese spread and dried cranberries, then sliced into adorable pinwheels! 🦃

Years ago, wraps got a bad rap because people thought they were healthier than sandwiches (spoiler: they're not!). But I LOVE a great wrap! I ate them all the time in high school! Then I turned my back on them like everyone else. 

Recently, I found an AMAZING turkey and cranberry wrap at my local deli that completely changed my mind! 

The combination of turkey and cranberry is KILLER! I always go for cranberry sauce over gravy with carved turkey, so you KNOW I'm obsessed with this flavor combo!

But here's the thing – I knew this wrap needed more! So I created a cranberry rosemary cream cheese spread to take it over the top! That spread is the SECRET WEAPON that makes these pinwheels absolutely incredible!

Pro tip: Make sure to spread the cream cheese evenly over the wrap so when you roll and slice, you get those perfect tight, even corkscrew pinwheels!

Perfect for holiday parties, tailgating, or anytime you need an easy, impressive appetizer! 

💬 Comment "PINWHEELS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for holiday entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves wraps!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/turkey-cranberry-pinwheels/
Avocado Cucumber Salad – fresh avocado and crisp Avocado Cucumber Salad – fresh avocado and crispy mini cucumber slices tossed with red onion, cilantro, and a homemade avocado lime dressing! 🥑

Summer is HERE, you guys! And that means busting out the avocados! Although, let me be real – I don't need a reason to eat avocados year-round! But they ARE way more flavorful and cheaper in the summer, so I get extra excited! 

I LOVE this recipe because it's so refreshing thanks to the cucumber and the lime dressing! Plus, it's a nice break from the guacamole that tends to hog all the avocado spotlight! This salad is simple with just a few ingredients, but don't let that fool you – the flavor is INCREDIBLE!

The homemade dressing uses mashed avocado as the base, which creates a creamy texture that you just can't get from a bottled dressing!

Pro tip: Make sure you use mini cucumbers because they have way less water than traditional cucumbers! And use semi-ripe avocados so they hold their shape when tossed!

Perfect for summer entertaining, appetizers, picnics, or anytime you want a fresh, refreshing salad! 

💬 Comment "AVOCADO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves avocados!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/avocado-cucumber-salad/
Asparagus Risotto – creamy, cheesy homemade riso Asparagus Risotto – creamy, cheesy homemade risotto loaded with crispy bright green asparagus! The perfect fancy-yet-simple spring side dish that tastes like it came straight from a fancy restaurant! 🌿

Risotto was one of the first "fancy" dishes I learned to make, you guys! I watched so much Giada De Laurentiis on Everyday Italian growing up, and she always made risotto seem intimidating yet achievable!

 So I decided to try it about 10 years ago for Mother's Day (or maybe Easter? – it was so long ago!) and made a mushroom risotto that turned out INCREDIBLE! 

Mushroom risotto is still one of my favorite variations, but asparagus is the PERFECT spring twist! The bright green color and fresh taste pairs so beautifully with that creamy, cheesy risotto!

Pro tip: The key to amazing risotto is patience! Add the broth just 2 ladles at a time and stir constantly. This slow process is what creates that luxurious, creamy texture!

Perfect for spring dinners, Easter, Mother's Day, or anytime you want an elegant yet simple dish that will impress everyone at the table! 🍽️

💬 Comment "RISOTTO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for spring entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves Italian food!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/asparagus-risotto/
Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cr Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake – vanilla ice cream blended with real strawberries, actual cheesecake chunks, and topped with whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, and a fresh strawberry! 🍓

I am very picky about my milkshakes, you guys! They HAVE to be (1) thick, (2) full of flavor, and (3) loaded with texture! This milkshake checks all the boxes!

This one was inspired by my husband's obsession with the Strawberry Cheesequake Blizzard from Dairy Queen! 

He LOVES it, so I decided to recreate it at home – but better! Instead of using strawberry ice cream and cream cheese, I used REAL strawberries and a real slice of cheesecake for that authentic chunky texture!

The key to making this milkshake so thick? I only use ½ cup of milk! The juice from the fresh strawberries helps liquefy the ice cream, so you don't need much liquid at all!
Pro tip: Make sure you're using the BEST vanilla ice cream you can find! Since this recipe is so simple, the quality of the ingredients really makes all the difference!

Perfect for summer treats, date nights, hot days, or anytime you want a decadent, fruity dessert in a glass! 🥤

💬 Comment "STRAWBERRYCHEESECAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for milkshake inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves dessert!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/strawberry-cheesecake-milkshake/
Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sw Watermelon Basil Lemonade – homemade lemonade sweetened with basil sugar and fresh watermelon juice for a complex, refreshing summer drink!

I love making my lemonade from scratch, you guys! It gives me the freedom to experiment with unique flavors like this watermelon basil combo! I've used watermelon in drinks before (hello, Watermelon Sangria and Watermelon Margaritas!), so I knew it would be PERFECT with lemonade!

Watermelon is such a major symbol of summer, so pairing it with fresh basil takes it to another level! The basil adds an herbaceous, complex flavor that regular lemonade could never achieve! 

This is one of those drinks that looks impressive but is incredibly simple to make – just 10 minutes of prep time and you've got something that tastes like it came straight from a summer garden!

Pro tip: Don't skip the salt! With a drink as sweet and sour as this lemonade, a little salt balances it all out and prevents it from being overly cloying!
Perfect for summer BBQs, entertaining guests, hot days, or anytime you want a refreshingly unique drink! 

💬 Comment "WATERMELONLEMONADE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for summer entertaining
📤 SHARE with someone who loves lemonade!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/watermelon-basil-lemonade

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