holiday favorite

a casserole dish of Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole on top of a cloth napkin with a bowl of mixed berries next to it, shot from overhead

Berries & Cream Stuffed French Toast Casserole

a glass dish with bacon corn casserole with half scooped out and a wooden spoon in it, shot from a side angle

Bacon Corn Casserole

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

Croissant French Toast

Pecan Pie Brownies

front shot of sweet potato cornbread in a cast iron skillet

Sweet Potato Cornbread

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Gingerbread Biscotti on parchment paper

Gingerbread Biscotti

Cookies· dessert· Holiday Favorites
December 8, 2016

Gingerbread Biscotti – These gingerbread biscotti are baked and then dipped in almond bark. The perfect accompaniment to your coffee or hot chocolate! And they make great food gifts, too! A major item that’s been on my baking bucket list (yup, that’s a thing) is biscotti. Ever since I dipped my first biscotti into a hot coffee, I’ve been smitten with…
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cranberry lime mojitos with cranberries and slices of lime

Cranberry Lime Mojitos

drinks· Holiday Favorites· Popular Recipes· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
December 5, 2016

Cranberry Lime Mojitos – A festive twist on this classic drink. Mint, sugar, lime, cranberry juice, and rum come together to make this yummy drink that perfectly highlights the winter flavor of cranberry but can be made all year long! I’m beginning to develop quite the love affair with festive drinks. It all started when I made this sparkling apple cider sangria a…
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styled shot of Monster Cookies

Monster Cookies

Cookies· Holiday Favorites
December 1, 2016

Monster Cookies – Super chewy oatmeal cookies with peanut butter, M&M candies, and chocolate chips. And naturally they’re gluten free! I started November with a cookie recipe so it only feels right to start December with one, right?! But before we get started I have some amazing news! I recently entered a photo contest with a pic of this cranberry apple…
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styled shot of Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup

Fall Flavors· Popular Recipes· soup
November 28, 2016

Turkey Noodle Soup – A super easy turkey noodle soup to warm you up on cold nights. And the perfect way to use turkey leftovers! Happy Monday! Or should I say…Happy Cyber Monday! If you’re anything like me, you’re doing all your holiday shopping online. Anything to avoid the craziness of the mall. I can handle the crowds inside but the…
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collage image of five kitchen tools with descriptive text

Five Kitchen Tools I’m Thankful For This Year

baking tips
November 24, 2016

Five Kitchen Tools I’m Thankful For This Year – These are the five kitchen tools I am thankful for this year. There are so many things that I’m thankful for this year. My new husband, our new house, our new life together. And of course…all of you, my readers! I am having such a blast with this blog and it’s been…
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styled shot of Cranberry Apple Crumble

Cranberry Apple Crumble

dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pie· Summertime Favorites· Valentine's Day
November 22, 2016

Cranberry Apple Crumble – A warm dessert made with seasonal flavors of cranberry and apple and topped with crunchy brown sugar crumbles. The only thing that can make this dessert even better is a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream! Apple pie. It’s a staple almost all year long. When 4th of July comes around, everyone and their mom is making…
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styled shot of Drunken Spaghetti Meatball, shot from a side angle

Drunken Spaghetti & Meatballs

beef entrees· pizza & pasta· Valentine's Day
November 18, 2016

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #thetalkofthetable #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. Drunken Spaghetti Meatballs – A childhood favorite, with an adult twist. These meatballs are soaked in a rich, red wine gravy and pairs perfectly with Barilla Angel Hair pasta. Well, folks. Here…
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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

overhead shot of spiced carrots on a bed of whipped feta dip

Spiced Carrots with Whipped Feta

two copper mugs filled with holiday mule drinks and a pitcher in the background

Holiday Mule

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

apple cinnamon charlotte sitting on a plate with cinnamon sabayon sliced in half to reveal the apples in the center

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

slice of pistachio loaf on a cutting board with the rest of the loaf in the background

Pistachio Loaf

oatmeal rolls sitting on a baking sheet

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls

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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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