holiday favorite

Honey Wheat Bread Loaves

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

Orange-Scented Madeleines

styled shot of Chocolate Chip Cookies Bites with Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Fudge Frosting

a slice of chocolate cream pie with a bite out of it on a plate with more pie in the background, shot from the front

Chocolate Cream Pie

two stemmed glasses of Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz with orange slices and rosemary sprigs with cramberries rosemary and half an orange on the table underneath, shot from the front

Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

a slice of texas sheet cake sitting on a white plate

Texas Sheet Cake

cake· dessert· Holiday Favorites· Valentine's Day
May 19, 2023

Texas Sheet Cake – A thin, chocolate sheet cake with a layer of chocolate icing on top. The ratio of cake to icing is perfection! Chocolate cake has been hit or miss for me. Either it’s dry or bland or not chocolatey enough. There are a handful of chocolate cakes that I’ve loved in my life, and most have been…
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picture of stacked cheeseburger egg rolls with one cut on half and placed on top

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

appetizer· beef entrees· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
May 15, 2023

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls – Ground beef is flavored with mustard and a little Worcestershire and then stuffed into a wonton wrapped with a couple pickle slices and American cheese. The egg rolls are fried until perfectly crispy and served with burger sauce. Frying foods is not always my favorite thing to do. So when I decide to, it’s got to…
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skillet full of loaded french fries

Loaded French Fries

appetizer· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
May 8, 2023

Loaded French Fries – French fries are topped with caramelized onions, American cheese, and a homemade burger sauce. The best loaded fries you’ve ever had! Today’s recipe is a simple one – Loaded French Fries! Who doesn’t love a plate full of fries, topped with cheese, onions, and a flavorful sauce?! And what’s even better – the most work you’ll…
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two creamy poblano enchiladas on a spatula

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas

chicken entrees
May 5, 2023

Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – Tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, and baked until creamy perfection Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today, I have these yummy Creamy Poblano Enchiladas recipe to celebrate. I am more of a fan of green enchiladas than red enchiladas. While the sauce isn’t a traditional green enchiladas sauce, it’s…
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beef empanadas stacked together on a serving platter

Beef Empanadas

appetizer· beef entrees· snacks· Tailgating Recipes
May 2, 2023

Beef Empanadas – These beef empanadas are made with my classic pie dough and filled with a beef and tomato mixture. Cinco de Mayo is this week! Are you celebrating at home or going out? If you decide to stay in, these Beef Empanadas are a fun treat to serve at a party or to the family. They are small…
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a shallow bowl filled with rice cooker spanish rice

Rice Cooker Spanish Rice

sides
April 28, 2023

Rice Cooker Spanish Rice – Jasmine rice is cooked with chicken broth, onions, tomatoes, and spices to make it super flavorful, but also easy to do! Just throw the ingredients in a rice cooker and watch it all come together! Making rice in a rice cooker if my favorite method. I always seem to burn rice when made on the…
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picture of skillet naan bread with more in the background

Skillet Naan Bread

appetizer· bread
April 23, 2023

Skillet Naan Bread – Yeast dough made with yogurt is proved and then cooked on a iron skillet to make for a delicious, easy version of the classic Indian flatbread. Indian flatbread, or naan, is one of my favorite breads of all time. I would eat my weight in naan with every Indian meal but never thought I could make…
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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 of pretzel bread pudding slice on a plate in a pool of whiskey sauce

Pretzel Bread Pudding

close up angle of pumpkin cinnamon roll pancakes stacked on a white plate

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

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

overhead shot of cheddar crusted apple pie with lattice crust

Cheddar Crusted Apple Pie

overhead shot of pumpkin churros on a plate of cinnamon sugar

Pumpkin Churros

Apple Pie Cake

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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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📤 SHARE with a brussels sprout hater!

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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📤 SHARE with someone who loves burgers!

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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📤 SHARE with someone who loves coconut!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/coconut-tres-leches/

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