holiday favorite

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

Roasted Strawberry Bundt Cake

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

Cranberry Apple Sangria

zoomed in shot of orange-scented madelines on a white plate

Orange-Scented Madeleines

plate of croissant french toast with powdered sugar and fruit with another plate in the background

Croissant French Toast

The Best Waffles

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

a spoon scooping the center of a Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffle that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles

cake· dessert· Valentine's Day
February 5, 2018

Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles – Rich chocolate souffles are filled with a creamy peanut butter center to make for an incredible chocolate dessert fit for any occasion. Alrighty, guys. It’s the second recipe of February and we’re going all in for Valentine’s Day. Last week, I shared these adorable raspberry macaron hearts and you guys loved how perfect they were for…
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Raspberry Macaron Hearts sprinkled with powdered sugar on a baking sheet, shot from overhead

Raspberry Macaron Hearts

Cookies· Valentine's Day
February 1, 2018

Raspberry Macaron Hearts – Classic french raspberry macarons are given a Valentine’s Day makeover by shaping them into lovely hearts. Perfect to share with the one you love! Welcome to February, guys! The month of chocolate and, more importantly, my birthday! This year is a special birthday – my 30th – so get excited for an especially yummy treat to…
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Chocolate Berry Cup with mixed berries and drizzled chocolate on top with mixed berries spread around on the table and a plate of berry cups in the background, shot from a side angle

Chocolate Berry Cups

candy· dessert· Valentine's Day
January 29, 2018

Chocolate Berry Cups – Homemade dark chocolate cups are filled with fresh berries and topped with a drizzle of dark chocolate. A healthier way to get your chocolate fix any time of the year! Okay I just can’t take it anymore…I gotta post a chocolate recipe. I just gotta! I don’t care if Valentine’s Day is weeks away. Just bookmark…
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a bowl of Cookies & Cream Popcorn with a bag of smartfood kettle corn in the background and more popcorn spread around the bowl, shot from a side angle

Cookies & Cream Popcorn

snacks· Tailgating Recipes
January 24, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Frito-Lay. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Cookies & Cream Popcorn – SMARTFOOD® Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn is coated with crushed chocolate cookies and drizzled with semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate to make a sweet & salty snack for all your football parties this season! College football ended last week but the…
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Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, shot from overhead

Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

chicken entrees· Valentine's Day
January 22, 2018

Healthy Parmesan Crusted Chicken – Chicken fillets covered in Parmesan cheese and seasoned panko bread crumbs and baked until perfectly crispy. No frying required! Healthy is not a category of cuisine that I tend to post about often – I’m more passionate about foods more on the indulgent side of the spectrum. In fact, in the past year alone, I’ve…
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Mango Smoothie Bowls with bananas raspberries mango and shredded coconut with shredded coconut and raspberries around the bowls with a mango and a banana next to it, shot from a side angle

Mango Smoothie Bowl

smoothies
January 15, 2018

Mango Smoothie Bowl – A thick mango smoothie base is topped with healthy toppings to make for a filling meal any time of the day It’s time for healthy recipe number two this month! Lucky for you, I’ve been craving smoothies hardcore this month so this recipe was a no-brainer. Instead of making a plain, old smoothie, I decided to…
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a baking dish with Bacon Blue Cheese Chips on it sprinkled with scallions with two bags of lay's chips in the background, shot from a side angle

Bacon Blue Cheese Chips

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
January 11, 2018

This post has been sponsored by Frito-Lay. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Bacon Blue Cheese Chips – LAY’S® Classic Potato Chips are covered with a homemade blue cheese sauce, blue cheese crumbles, bacon, and chopped scallions. It’s the perfect snack to feed a crowd during the big football game! The winter blues have officially set in. You know,…
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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 stacked Cinnamon Chocolate Muffins and one muffin cut in half next to it and a pan of cinnamon chocolate muffins, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Chocolate Muffins

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

closeup of mini pumpkin doughnut muffins with one with a bite out of it

Mini Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

overhead shot of bright pumpkin fettuccine on a white plate with sundried tomatoes and wilted spinach throughout

Pumpkin Fettuccine with Sundried Tomatoes

zoomed in shot of cut up apple cider caramels

Apple Cider Caramels

Apple Pie Cake

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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
Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow Fluffernutter Sandwich Three Ways – marshmallow creme and peanut butter come together to make the ultimate sweet sandwich using three unique peanut butter flavors: Mighty Maple, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, and Dark Chocolate Dreams! 

Peanut butter is probably my favorite dessert flavor, you guys! I mean, I have posted THREE different peanut butter cookie recipes in the past year, and that's not even including my PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches! If this is what addiction looks like, please don't make me control it! 😍

It's my go-to dessert when I have the biggest sweet tooth but no cake or ice cream or candy around! I almost always have the ingredients on hand for a fluffernutter, so I never have to suffer "sweet pains" for too long!

Instead of making a plain fluffernutter, I decided to test three unique peanut butter flavors from Peanut Butter & Co! And I was shocked by the results! Dark Chocolate Dreams (my first love!) trumped the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl! There's something about how the Dark Chocolate Dreams melts into the marshmallow creme that makes me melt after each bite!

Pro tip: Cook on medium-low temp so the peanut butter has time to melt before the bread gets toasty! The melty peanut butter is the BEST part!

Perfect for when you need a quick dessert fix, a sweet treat, or anytime your sweet tooth takes over! 

💬 Comment "FLUFFERNUTTER" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sweet cravings
📤 SHARE with a peanut butter addict!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/fluffernutter-sandwich-three-ways/
Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken te Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – crispy fried chicken tenders topped with fresh baby arugula, a squeeze of lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese in a soft hoagie bun! 

I tried this sandwich at a restaurant and fell so deeply in love that I HAD to recreate it at home, you guys! It was so SIMPLE yet so INCREDIBLE! 😍

The best part? It tastes fresh and light despite being a fried piece of chicken! The secret is all in the fresh toppings – the baby arugula, bright lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cut through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly!

The biggest step is pounding and frying the chicken tenders, but don't worry – I use a shallow pool of oil instead of deep frying, which makes it SO much simpler at home! Just flatten the chicken evenly so it cooks through and gets super crispy!

Pro tip: Make sure to use the lemon! Fried food can taste rich and heavy, and the lemon juice is exactly what the chicken needs to lighten it up and add freshness!
Perfect for lunch, dinner, weeknight meals, or anytime you want a gourmet sandwich at home! 🥪

💬 Comment "SCHNITZEL" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for sandwich inspiration
📤 SHARE with someone who loves sandwiches!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/schnitzel-sub-sandwich/
Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake Texas Sheet Cake – a thin, moist chocolate cake with a generous layer of fudgy chocolate icing on top! The ratio of cake to icing is absolute PERFECTION! 

Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me my whole life, you guys! Either it's dry or bland or not chocolatey enough! But this Texas Sheet Cake? BY FAR my favorite chocolate cake of all time! 

It's perfectly moist, FULL of chocolate flavor, and that icing on top just sets it into overdrive! After one bite, I simply cannot stop eating!

The secret to this incredible cake is the right ratio of icing to cake and placing the icing on the cake while it's HOT! This seals in all the moisture and makes it absolutely DIVINE!

Pro tip: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead of classic unsweetened – the chocolate flavor is way more potent! Plus, this cake bakes in under 20 minutes, so it's perfect for last-minute cravings!

Perfect for potlucks, parties, crowd feeding, or anytime you need to satisfy those chocolate cravings! 

💬 Comment "TEXASCAKE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for chocolate emergencies
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/

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