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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

BLT Benedict

BLT Benedict

breakfast· Easter· Holiday Favorites
April 18, 2019

BLT Benedict – Crusty sourdough bread is topped with crispy bacon, juicy tomatoes, poached eggs, and fresh basil hollandaise to…
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Blueberry Biscuits

Blueberry Biscuits

biscuits· breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 8, 2019

Blueberry Biscuits – Buttermilk biscuits are loaded with blueberries and finished with sweet icing over the top Just when you thought…
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Lemon Poppyseed Scones

Lemon Poppyseed Scones

breakfast· dessert· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· Summertime Favorites
April 1, 2019

Lemon Poppyseed Scones – Dense, tart, and sweet lemon scones are sprinkled with poppyseeds to give them a very slight…
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Vanilla Bean Morning Buns

Vanilla Bean Morning Buns

breakfast· doughnuts and sweet rolls· Easter· pastries
February 18, 2019

Vanilla Bean Morning Buns – Puff pastry rolled into a bun with vanilla bean sugar, a hint of cinnamon, and…
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Chocolate Cinnamon Granola

Chocolate Cinnamon Granola

breakfast· snacks
January 21, 2019

Chocolate Cinnamon Granola – Classic cinnamon granola is given a chocolatey makeover with the addition of cocoa powder and mini chocolate…
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Iced Pumpkin Scones

Iced Pumpkin Scones

breakfast· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites· pastries
November 15, 2018

Iced Pumpkin Scones – Perfectly spiced pumpkin scones covered in icing to make for a sweet breakfast treat That’s right…I’ve got…
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

drinks· smoothies
August 23, 2018

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie – Chocolate, peanut butter, banana, and frozen yogurt are blended together to make a killer…
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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

picture of apple pecan farro salad served on a white plate

Apple Pecan Farro Salad

two mugs of Cinnamon Maple Latte topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with pecans with dunkin donuts creamer and a stack of pumpkins on top of a cloth napkin, shot from a side angle

Cinnamon Maple Latte

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

Cranberry Apple Sangria

carrot raisin muffins stacked on top of each other and sitting on a purple plate

Carrot Raisin Muffins

styled shot of a stack of chocolate pecan pie cheesecake bars

Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars

caramel macchiato cupcakes some drizzled with caramel sauce, shot from the front

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

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holiday favorite

Peppermint Shortbread Bites

a slice of victoria sandwich cake with a bite remove and a few crumbs on the plate

Victoria Sandwich Cake

photo taken from the right side of oasted greek lemon potatoes sitting in a dark 9x13 pan

Greek Lemon Potatoes

a hand holding up a maple molasses cookie to show all the detailed cracks in the top of the cookie

Maple Molasses Cookies

two chocolate cherry crepes on a plate with powdered sugar dusted on top

Chocolate Cherry Crepes

 

Woah guys, I need to talk to you about these Choco Woah guys, I need to talk to you about these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake Pops!

So this recipe was inspired by a trip to a well-known coffee shop. They sell some incredible cake pops there, with the birthday cake being my all-time favorite. But on this trip, I decided to give their cookie dough flavor a chance because I am ALL about the cookie dough!

The verdict? Bleh. It was fine, but I kept thinking about ways it could be EVEN better!

My issues with the coffee shop version:
❌ White chocolate coating (poor flavor choice!)
❌ Didn't taste like a cookie at all
❌ Missing that brown sugar goodness

So I took all my observations and developed my PERFECT version of a chocolate chip cookie cake pop! And you guys, these turned out SO much better!

They're perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, or honestly anytime you want a fun treat that tastes way better than the coffee shop version! 

Ready to make these? 💌 Comment "POPS" below and I'll send you the link!

#CakePops #ChocolateChipCookie #PartyFood #DessertRecipes #CakePopRecipe #ChocolateChip #KidFriendlyRecipes #ChocolateChipCookies
Hot chocolate. It's almost a necessity in winter t Hot chocolate. It's almost a necessity in winter time, right?

Last year I made this incredible peanut butter hot chocolate because, you know, I love all things peanut butter. But this year? I wanted to make a hot chocolate with another one of my FAVORITE chocolate combos: Raspberry Hot Chocolate!

And that raspberry, guys…let me tell you. Adding it to the hot chocolate is like drinking one of those chocolate raspberry truffles from a chocolate shop. So rich and slightly tart. The whole drink is so balanced and I love it!

Making hot chocolate from scratch is much much easier than you'd think. And once you do, you'll never buy those packets again! All you do is heat milk in a saucepan and then whisk in cocoa powder and sugar. Boom – that's it!

For this raspberry hot chocolate, there's just one more step: break down fresh raspberries into a puree by cooking them on the stove for a few minutes. Once it's cooked, you just strain out the seeds and add to the hot chocolate and you have yourself a raspberry hot chocolate!

Perfect for Valentine's Day, cozy movie nights, or anytime you want to treat yourself to something special!

Ready to upgrade your hot chocolate game? 💌 Comment "COCOA" below and I'll send you the link!

#HotChocolate #HomemadeHotChocolate #WinterDrinks #CozyDrinks #HotChocolateRecipe #ChocolateRaspberry #ValentinesDayDrinks #WarmDrinks #CozyRecipes #WinterTreats #ComfortDrinks #HotCocoa
These Smothered Pork Chops are an exciting escape These Smothered Pork Chops are an exciting escape from boring dinners, and honestly? They might be my new weeknight obsession!

Oh my goodness, ya'll. Not only does it smell heavenly, but that flavor is unmatched to any gravy I've ever made before. That fresh thyme really sets it off! 

What makes these AMAZING:
🔥 ONE PAN recipe - yes, all done on the stove!
🍳 No oven or fancy appliances required
💚 That creamy onion gravy is EVERYTHING
⏰ Ready in 40 minutes total
🥩 Bone-in chops stay SO juicy
👨‍🍳 Simple ingredients, incredible flavor

The process is super easy:
First, you lightly fry the pork chops - and don't worry, it's not a thick batter that would make these super unhealthy. We just coat them in spices and a little flour, then fry in butter and oil to get them slightly crispy.

Then comes the magic! The butter and oil stay in the pan (hello, flavor!), and we cook down the onions, add garlic and fresh thyme, then create this INCREDIBLE creamy gravy with chicken stock and cream. The gravy thickens right before your eyes - it's actually kinda mesmerizing!

Finally, add back the chops, smother them in all that gorgeous gravy, and let them finish cooking. The result? Tender, juicy pork chops swimming in the most flavorful onion gravy you've ever tasted!

This is the kind of meal that makes you feel like you're eating at a fancy restaurant but you made it on a Tuesday night in 40 minutes. Win-win!

Ready to make dinner exciting again? 💌 Comment "PORK" below and I'll send you the link!

#PorkChops #OnionGravy #ComfortFood #EasyDinner #DinnerRecipes #PorkRecipes #OnePanMeal #EasyRecipes #HomeCooking #DinnerIdeas #PorkChopRecipe
I never really liked fudge... until I tried THIS D I never really liked fudge... until I tried THIS Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge! 

Okay guys, confession time. I used to think fudge was just meh - too sugary, kinda gritty, not chocolatey enough. But then my friend Savannah brought homemade fudge to our Christmas potluck and I ate EIGHT pieces. EIGHT! That's incredible, even for me!

So of course I had to get the recipe and make it my own. Enter: this gorgeous Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fudge! The combo of rich dark chocolate with tart raspberry swirls is absolutely HEAVENLY.

The best part? This is SO much easier than traditional fudge! No candy thermometer needed - just sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and homemade raspberry puree. That's it!

Swipe to see:
→ The dreamy raspberry swirl 😍
→ How creamy and smooth this fudge is
→ That gorgeous color combo
→ Tips for perfect fudge every time
→ The easy recipe breakdown

Perfect for Valentine's Day, Galentine's, or honestly just because you deserve something sweet!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment 'FUDGE' below and I'll send you the link!

#HomemadeFudge #ValentinesDayDessert #ChocolateRaspberry #DessertRecipes #RaspberryDessert #ValentinesDay #GalentinesDay #FudgeRecipe
This Cranberry Apple Crumble is my absolute favori This Cranberry Apple Crumble is my absolute favorite alternative to apple pie - and here's why you're gonna love it too!

First of all, let's be real... making pie is SUCH a process. Make dough, chill dough, roll out dough, make filling, create pretty top crust, bake. It's just too much, especially during the holidays! And don't even get me started on that first slice that NEVER comes out pretty. I usually keep it for myself to save the embarrassment 😅

But THIS? This is SO much easier! It's the same balance of fruit and carbs you crave in a pie but with like half the effort. Plus it's scoopable, so no messy slicing! Hallelujah!

The cranberries pair SO beautifully with the apples - I've been embracing cranberries a lot more this year and I'm so glad I did! The tart berries balance perfectly with the sweet apples and that buttery crumble topping.

A few tips that will help you:
1️⃣ Slice the apples, don't dice them - better apple to cranberry ratio
2️⃣ Fresh or frozen cranberries work! DO NOT use dried
3️⃣ Let the crumb mixture chill for at least 10 minutes so it hardens up
4️⃣ Granny Smith apples hold their texture perfectly when baked

This crumble is warm, comforting, and absolutely irresistible. The only thing that can make it better is that generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top! 🤤
Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or honestly any time you want something delicious without all the pie stress!

Want the full recipe? 💌 Comment "CRUMBLE" below and I'll send you the link!

#AppleCrumble #HolidayBaking #EasyDesserts #AppleDesserts #CranberryDessert  #DessertRecipes #ComfortFood #AppleRecipes

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