holiday favorite

close up of a mint chocolate fudge cookie surrounded by chocolate chips

Mint Chocolate Fudge Cookies

a bowl of Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding topped with ice cream with a casserole dish with bread pudding and two pumpkins stacked on top of each other in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding

close up of raspberries & cream profiterole sitting on a white plate

Raspberries & Cream Profiteroles

stacked maple walnut cookies on a red orange napkin and one cookie with a bite removed

Maple Walnut Cookies

overhead shot of fig and goat cheese crostini on a serving platter

Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

avocado margarita ion glass rimmed with pink salt and ice in the foreground as garnish

Avocado Margaritas

drinks
June 23, 2023

Avocado Margaritas – Avocado is added to a classic margarita with a little melon liquor to make for a creamy, fun take on the Mexican cocktail. Summertime is here! The days are long and hot and sometimes the best thing to get you through them is a refreshing cold drink. I love a margarita and especially a new take on…
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raspberry lime macaron sandwich on a white plate with lime zest garnish

Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich

Cookies· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
June 19, 2023

Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich – Large, pink macaron shells are filled with fresh lime curd and whole raspberries and sandwiched together for a snack fit for a queen. Today’s treat is inspired by a dessert I’ve enjoyed many times at Disney’s Epcot. The France pavilion has a wonderful patisserie with baked breads, pastries, and desserts. I always get this Raspberry…
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a fried onion petal dipping into horseradish dip

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 sauce. Another yummy snack coming at ya! This one was uber addictive. I was munching on these Fried Onion Petals all day after making them. The inspiration for this snack comes from the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse. Making a…
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rosemary cheese straws sitting in a bowl with rosemary leaves sitting next to the bowl ad more straws in the background

Rosemary Cheese Straws

appetizer· snacks
June 5, 2023

Rosemary Cheese Straws – The Southern cheese straw is flavored with fresh rosemary to give them a sophisticated feel. I am a snacker, through and through. Before meeting my husband and living together, my meals were not planned out and mostly consisted of a lot of small snacks throughout the day. Over time, I learned it’s very hard to coordinate…
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glass of watermelon basil lemonade with a pitcher next to it

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 synonymous with summer as lemonade. A glass of cold lemonade can make even the muggiest, humid day feel better. I love making my lemonade from scratch. Doing so allows me the freedom to try out new flavors – like this…
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close up of buffalo chicken sliders stacked on a platter with blue cheese sauce dripping

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

appetizer· chicken entrees· sandwiches & wraps· Tailgating Recipes
May 26, 2023

Buffalo Chicken Sliders – Buffalo chicken nuggets are loaded into soft sweet rolls and topped with homemade blue cheese sauce I love a great slider. Full-sized burgers and sandwiches feel like a big commitment and since I have no self-control, I tend to over-eat. Sliders help me manage my over-eating better. These Buffalo Chicken Sliders are my newest obsession. They…
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schnitzel sub sandwiches stacked on a white plate

Schnitzel Sub Sandwich

chicken entrees· sandwiches & wraps
May 22, 2023

Schnitzel Sub Sandwich – Crispy, thin fried chicken tenders are place in a hoagie bun, along with a squeeze of lemon juice, baby arugula, and shaved Parmesan cheese to make a new take on a chicken tender sub. I love a great sandwich. I tried a new sandwich recently that was so simple – fried chicken, arugula, a hint of…
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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

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

Apple Cinnamon Stuffed French Toast

a cinnamon stick being dipped into a mug of mulled wine with another mug of mulled wine and a glass dish of mulled spices in the background, shot from a side angle

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

a hand holding up a cinnamon bun soft pretzel

Cinnamon Bun Soft Pretzels

Pumpkin Tres Leches

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

overhead shot of pumpkin churros on a plate of cinnamon sugar

Pumpkin Churros

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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
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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
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/texas-sheet-cake/
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaig Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – crispy roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in a tangy, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette! 

If you had told me 5 years ago that I'd be posting a brussels sprouts recipe on this blog, I wouldn't have believed you, you guys! All I knew about them was that they were a stinky vegetable nobody liked!

Then all of a sudden, brussels sprouts were on EVERY menu at EVERY restaurant I visited! I was shocked! So when my girlfriends ordered a large side to share at dinner, I decided to try them – and I was CONVERTED! 😍

They were roasted until crispy, coated in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was tangy, crispy, and sweet! Now I'm sharing MY version so you can convert brussels sprout haters too!

Pro tip: Toss the brussels sprouts in the vinaigrette while they're still hot so they absorb all those amazing flavors!

Perfect for holiday dinners, dinner parties or anytime you need a delicious side dish! 

💬 Comment "SPROUTS" for the recipe
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/roasted-brussel-sprouts-with-honey-mustard-vinaigrette/
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned wi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – ground beef seasoned with mustard and Worcestershire, stuffed with American cheese and pickles, all wrapped in a crispy wonton wrapper! Served with a tangy burger sauce for dipping! 

Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do, you guys! But when I decide to, it's gotta be worth it! And these cheeseburger egg rolls are TOTALLY worth it! You just can't get the same crisp on the wonton wrapper in the oven or air fryer!

The filling is just like a classic cheeseburger – ground beef, American cheese, a pickle, and just a hint of mustard! And the burger sauce with ketchup, mustard, and relish rounds out those classic burger flavors!

Pro tip: Drain the beef extremely well! Any excess oil will put holes in the wonton wrapper while it's frying!

Perfect for appetizers, game day, parties, tailgating, or anytime you want cheeseburger flavor in a crispy, fun package! 🍟

💬 Comment "EGGROLLS" for the recipe
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/cheeseburger-egg-rolls/
Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the cl Coconut Tres Leches – a tropical twist on the classic! Spongy cake soaked in three milks (including coconut cream instead of heavy cream!) and topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut! 

Despite my Hispanic heritage, tres leches is something I only started loving in my 20s, you guys! And when I did? I was almost ANGRY I had waited so long to try it!

I love taking classic recipes and giving them unique twists! For this one, I replaced the heavy cream with coconut cream and topped it with toasted coconut – because I LOVE coconut cream cake! The result? The best of both worlds – all the tres leches flavor with all the coconut goodness!

Pro tip: Make this cake a day in advance and let it sit overnight! Tres leches gets BETTER over time, and it makes a world of difference!

One of the best desserts I've made in a while – seriously, your mind will be blown with every bite! 

💬 Comment "TRESLECHES" for the recipe
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https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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