holiday favorite

Pecan Pie Brownies

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

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

Cranberry Apple Sangria

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

close up of a piece of chocolate hzelnut toffee with chopped hazelnuts sitting beside it

Chocolate Hazelnut Toffee

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

two bottles of wine with two glasses of half full wine with a cloth napkin and a sprig of herbs, shot from the front

Italian Herb Wings with Gorgonzola Dipping Sauce (+wine pairing)

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
August 15, 2017

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Charles Smith Wines. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. #WAWineTime #CollectiveBias Italian Herb Wings with Gorgonzola Dipping Sauce – A flavorful recipe for wings that are baked, not fried! These wings are tossed in garlic, Parmesan cheese, and a…
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Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers with scallions sprinkled around them, shot from overhead

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers

appetizer· seafood entrees· Summertime Favorites
August 10, 2017

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers – Grilled shrimp skewers covered in a spicy, creamy, sweet chili sauce. Perfect for the summer barbecues! It’s grilling season! Who’s been grilling up a storm so far?! I have!! Grilling is my FAVORITE, especially because of the amazing charred grill marks that add so much flavor. Yummmm. Today’s recipe is brought to you by…
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Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch in two glasses with ice and blackberries and slices of lemon on a cotton napkin, shot from a side angle

Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch

drinks
August 7, 2017

Blackberry Lemon Vodka Punch – A refreshing spiked punch made with fresh lemon juice, muddled blackberries, and a homemade blackberry & thyme infused vodka. The perfect drink to enjoy any time of year! It’s time for another yummy drink recipe. And, as always, this one is perfect for serving a crowd. No need to go make drinks one at a time,…
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Pops on a plate with mini chocolate chips sprinkled around, shot from overhead

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Pops

cake· Cookies· Valentine's Day
August 3, 2017

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Pop – The classic flavors of a chocolate chip cookies smashed into a mini cake pop. Made with a brown sugar frosting and chocolate chip cake, these moist cake pops are going to satisfy both kids and adults! Woah. That summer went by fast. Georgia has already gone back to school. What is with that?! Back in…
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overhead shot of a spoon that was dipped into a dish of peach Riesling sorbet

Peach Riesling Sorbet

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 31, 2017

Peach Riesling Sorbet – A refreshing peach sorbet with a boozy finish. Made with only 4 ingredients, this peach Riesling sorbet is going to be your new favorite way to enjoy a frozen treat this summer.  And here we are…the final day of #NationalIceCream month. Don’t be sad y’all – we’re going out with a bang! A boozy bang, to be exact….
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styled shot of The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake topped with whipped cream oreos and marshmallows and oreo crumbs

The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake

dessert· drinks· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
July 27, 2017

The Ultimate Cookies & Cream Milkshake – Your classic cookies & cream milkshake is taken up a notch with the addition of decadent garnishes like marshmallows, brownies, and ice cream sandwiches! You’re never gonna wanna go back to the boring regular shake again! Cookies & cream has been an OBSESSION of mine since I can remember. I even named my childhood…
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zoomed in shot of a glass dish of Elvis Ice Cream Sundae sprinkled with bacon caramel sliced of bacon and a bowl of caramelize bananas

Elvis Ice Cream Sundae

dessert· ice cream· National Ice Cream Month· Summertime Favorites
July 24, 2017

Elvis Ice Cream Sundae – Elvis was known for his love of peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches. This sundae takes all those flavors and incorporates them into a sundae perfect for dessert on a hot, summer day! Man, I cannot believe we’re already in the last week of National Ice Cream Month. Does this mean summer is almost 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

a stack of three pumpkin oatmeal cream pies on cotton napkins with a platter behind it with more pies in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

warm banana bread with a couple bites removed sitting on a plate with two scoops on butter pecan ice cream stacked on top and caramelized bananas over the top and a spoon on the side

Banana Bread Sundae

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

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

close up of apple pie slide doughnut sitting on a tray with other doughnuts

Apple Pie Slider Doughnuts

zoomed in shot of Smashed Sweet Potatoes with cheese being shredded over them

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter

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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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