Gobble Gobble: A Turkey Cooking Guide

We love everything about Thanksgiving dinner... it's one of our favorite holidays!  But before you get ready to sit down with your loved ones to share a delicious meal, one thing must happen first:  someone's gotta cook that turkey.  That delicious bird isn't going to roast itself, and there are a few key steps to ensure that it's cooked to perfection.  Nobody likes a dry turkey, and nobody likes salmonella.  However, ranging from 14-20 lbs a bird, cooking a Thanksgiving masterpiece can be nothing short of intimidating.

Here's a few pointers that we found to be very helpful, to get that turkey in tip-top shape!  Not cooking the turkey yourself?  Share our turkey cooking knowledge with the one cooking your Thanksgiving dinner, and offer to lend a helping hand.  Now, let's talk turkey!

1. Thaw accordingly.
Depending on if your turkey is fresh or frozen, be sure to thaw it out accordingly.  Make sure that your turkey is at room temperature before popping it in the oven.

2. Add some kick.
Olive oil, butter with fresh herbs, aromatic vegetables... all of these help to add flavor.  Coat the outside of the turkey with one of these fats as well.  There are plenty of excellent turkey recipes available!

3. Foil is your friend.
Cover the breast of the turkey tightly with aluminum foil; just remember to remove it about 45 minutes before the turkey has finished cooking.  At this time when you take the foil off of the breast, you can also lay a piece of foil over any areas that you think might be getting too dark.  You don't want that baby to burn!  Do this while opening/closing the oven door quickly; no need to change the oven temperature.

4. Rack it up.
Cooking your turkey on a rack helps to make things cook evenly on all sides, to get that juicy tenderness throughout.  Bonus: you can use it anytime you cook poultry!

5. Don't stuff the stuffing.
Not stuffing your turkey means that it will take less time to cook- a plus!  It also becomes more risky for food safety, in case the stuffing inside the turkey is not cooked to proper temperatures.  Our advice: cook stuffing as a separate side dish.

6. Take the temperature.
We like to reference temperature guides when cooking, and always use a meat thermometer.  Each time you open and close the oven door, heat is lost, and your turkey will suffer by drying out as well.  Because of this (and because of the need to check the temp) we suggest a meat thermometer with an alarm built in.  Super handy!  Stick the thermometer into either the thick part of the thigh or thickest part of the breast, and you will be golden. 

7. Have a turkey nap.
Once removing from the oven, allow the turkey to rest for about 20-25 minutes before beginning to carve.  This allows the juices to absorb into the meat, and locks it all in.  Hey, if it helps to avoid a dry turkey, we're all for it!

8. Dinner is {almost} served.
Use a very sharp knife when you're ready to carve, or an electric knife if you have one.  Need to brush up on your carving skills?  We found a video to help with that! 

Gobble, Gobble... Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

Detox Diary with Pressed Juicery

Last week we announced our exciting new partnership with Pressed Juicery and over the weekend us three founders did 3 different one-day cleanses from Pressed Juicery to give you every detail on every cleanse available!  In addition, with the holiday season right around the corner, we thought we would share the benefits of pre-holiday cleansing and why you should cleanse before the holidays!  We also have a little present for you at the end of today's post so make sure to check it out!

Pressed Juicery cleanses comes with 6 different flavored juices per day and you can also add chlorophyll and aloe vera water to your day to help with digestion and to raise alkaline levels. With holidays right around the corner you need a lot of energy and stamina to get through all of the holiday parties, errands, and of course shopping! Another perk about juicing is that it helps give you a radiant complexion as well as healthy hair and nails so you can have that holiday glow at every holiday party you attend to this year!

Pressed Juicery offers 3 different types of cleanses: Cleanse #1 is more for first-time juicers or athletes with higher caloric needs, Cleanse #2 is the most popular cleanse that are for those who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and Cleanse #3 is for experienced cleansers that love green juices!  Check out our Detox Diaries below to see our experience on our one-day juice cleanses!

"To be completely honest, I was so shocked at how good everything tasted! My absolute favorite flavor was the Greens 3 juice with kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, and ginger- I think the ginger is what I really loved about this juice.  I thought I would be starving the entire day, but I was completely satisfied the entire day!  One thing I would recommend is sipping your juice and take your time drinking it rather than guzzling it- it helps you get full faster!  I felt so great the next day and I'm so excited to do the cleanse again! Perhaps after the holidays :)" - Sakura

"I thought the juices were delicious!  I love the taste of fresh green juices (I love them so much that I crave them!) so I really enjoyed the cleanse.  The Citrus 2 (Apple, lemon, pineapple, and mint) was my absolute favorite... So refreshing!  Getting through day one of the cleanse is partially a mental thing; it's a different concept to "drink" your meals.  But rest assured that you're getting all of the proper nutrients for the day; actually, you're getting even more good stuff than you usually can eat in a day!  The following day after I did my cleanse, I felt AMAZING.  I felt refreshed, happy, and light.  I highly recommend doing a cleanse!  I had been eating less than healthy prior to doing mine, and it definitely is a great 'jump start' to get back on the healthy eating track.  Can't wait to do my next cleanse- I want to do 3 days next time!"- Ali

 "I was expecting to be starving during the cleanse but it was the opposite: I felt really good throughout the day. One of my favorite cleanses was the vanilla almond bottle. It had a lot of my favorite ingredients: almonds, dates, vanilla bean, sea salt, and filtered H20. I woke up feeling pretty refreshed and an urge to continue eating clean!

If you're going to do the cleanse, be sure to keep your schedule open in such a way that you can freely use the restroom; the cleanse is meant to cleanse your body and release the contents in your stomach. Also, avoid doing a cleanse while you're on your menstrual cycle; you want to be comfortable during the process!" - Karen 

Now, the big surprise! We have a special promo code for all of our loyal TSS readers to receive 10% off of any 1, 3, or 5 day juice cleanse from Pressed Juicery!  Make sure to use promo code: TSS10 at www.pressedjuicery.com before the 27th and get your pre-holiday juice cleanse!

We may have another surprise this week for one special reader so check back on TSS to find out all of the details!

We want to thank the Pressed Juicery and their lovely team again for everything!

TSS' Ultimate Measuring Guide

We don't believe in cheating... unless you're baking some delicious dessert.  Lots of us girls love to bake and cook, but your (almost) amazing chocolate chip cookies could go wrong with one simple mistake.  We made our cooking cheat sheet as simple as possible so it's easy to read.

Do you have a secret when it comes to measurements?  Do you have a recipe that you'd like to share with TSS?  Share us your secret! secret@thesororitysecrets.com

HAPPY FRIDAY!

10 Etsy Shops We Love

1. Beach Blues, 2. Charm & Gumption, 3. Pencil Shavings Studio, 4. Kidecals, 5. Charlie's Nest, 6. Betawife, 7. Silhouette Blue, 8. Saddle Shoe Signs, 9. Junghwa, 10. Shugabee Lane

We love Etsy, you love Etsy, everyone loves Etsy!  Etsy has become a phenomenon with over 15 million active sellers as of the end of last year and it is only consistently growing with 690,000 new sellers every month!  Out of all of the shops on Etsy, we have our Top 10 favorite Etsy shops that we love that we know our readers would love!

Whether you're getting your best friend a personalized jewelry from Junghwa or decorating your new dorm room or your office with some Marquee Lights from Saddle Shoe Signs or a Chalk Board from Shugabee Lane!  Check it out and make sure to comment below to tell us your favorite Etsy shop!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Birthday Cake Protein Shake {Recipe from Dashing Dish}

Protein Powder: Lean 1.  Sweetener: Truvia.  Sprinkles: Betty Crocker.

In the search for things to eat that are both nutritious & delicious, we're always on the lookout for a tasty new find.  Protein shakes have become one of our staples for healthy eating (especially on the go!) and just your average vanilla or chocolate shake can get a little bland after time.  Well boring protein shake no more, we found the perfect way to spice it up!  Oh and did we mention, it tastes a lot like our favorite decadent treat... cake batter!!

We found this fabulous cake batter protein shake recipe on one of our favorite sites, Dashing Dish.  The recipe is post-workout perfection, or as a great healthy treat for anytime.  The shake reminds us of a thick and creamy cake batter ice cream milkshake.  For your vanilla protein powder base, we really enjoy the taste and consistency of Lean 1.  Sprinkles are optional, but we sure think that they add to the fun!  We love the idea of adding flavor extracts to protein shakes to kick the flavor up a notch, such as using almond extract in this recipe.

If you're looking for more creative protein shake concoctions, look no further than Dashing Dish.  With a few extra ingredients, protein shakes can be transformed into lots of fun dessert flavors!

Special thank you to Dashing Dish for the yummy recipe, and for letting us feature it on our site!

Crazy for Cupcakes!

Crazy For Cupcakes
By: Victoria, TSS It Girl
   
In my free time, outside of being a student, Greek member, and It Girl Intern, I take time to update my blog, The Guide to Whimsy, where I love to share some of my favorite homemade and quirky recipes. I love experimenting with flavors and how they complement each other in really odd, but scrumptious ways! In general, I just love being in the kitchen, but am known by my hometown, friends, family, and sorority sisters for the cupcakes I bake! From Chai Tea Latte, Fresh Strawberry, Crazy Carrot Cake, Almond Roca, Cheesecake Cupcake, Red Velvet, Raspberry Chocolate, and tons of others, I’ve catered for small parties, family gatherings, birthdays, graduations and even bridal showers.
Here’s one of my recent favorite cupcakes, The Triple C (Chocolate-Coconut Cupcake). This cupcake is the ultimate sweet, salty, slightly tangy, creamy, crunchy, and soft cupcake! For those of you not keen on the idea of coconut, I’ve included ways to void the coconut and switch things up to make another cupcake that’s simpler but still delicious! I love to bake in a really roundabout and experimental way, and rarely use measurements outside my base recipe. So widen your horizons, because the key to success for these cupcakes is a little creativity and having fun putting it all together!
Here’s what you’ll need!

TGTW's Chocolate-Coconut Cupcake (Triple C):
1 box of Pillsbury Traditional Chocolate (If you don’t have time to bake from scratch) OR:

Chocolate Base Recipe:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Extras:
Shredded Coconut
Almond Extract
Coconut Extract
Ground Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Sugar Crystals
Neufchatel Cheese (a low fat kind of cream cheese)
Powdered Sugar
Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder

• Okay, so go ahead and put together the pre-boxed cake batter. For this recipe, however, since I use Olive Oil in another part of the recipe, also use it in the cake mix in replace of Canola Oil. It won't really alter the taste, if anything, I've noticed it makes it the cake more rich and gives better texture. 
• The next thing you're going to do is put roughly 3/4 teaspoons of coconut extract in the batter. Also add another half a tablespoon of almond extract in the batter and mix.
• Now you're going to add your shredded coconut. However much you add is up to how much you or your party likes coconut; my input is to not put any more than a cup and a half.
• The next two steps are to add the cinnamon and sea salt. I love sweet and salty mixes in dessert. It gives it more layers and intricacies, and makes it well rounded. For this, you're going to lightly sprinkle ground cinnamon over the top to how much you prefer, and make sure when you grind the sea salt that you give the top of the cake mix a light even coverage. Mix batter again.
• Put batter into cupcake tins, sprinkle each with sugar crystals, and place in the oven for about 22 minutes. This would also make a really great cake if you'd rather choose to do it that way.
• For the topping, take about a cup and a half of the shredded coconut you have on hand, and toss with about 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Spread this onto a cookie sheet (I usually use a silicone pad on mine, but it's not necessary). Grind Sea Salt over the coconut, and add the sugar crystals on top as well. With 10 minutes left on the cupcakes, put them in the oven for the remaining time. You will need to stir up the coconut at 5 minutes.
• For the frosting, I never use a recipe. This will turn out more of like a royal icing for the cupcake. The texture should be a little thicker than a usual icing. Take two boxes of the Neufchatel and whip in your mixer, add a cup of powdered sugar at a time until you get the texture you want. If you've added too much powdered sugar, add a half a teaspoon of cold water to water it down (be careful with water, even the smallest bit will drastically change the texture!!) Add a quarter teaspoon of coconut extract, and a tablespoon of Dark Cocoa Powder to the frosting and mix. Store in fridge.

You're all done! When the cupcakes come out, let them cool down to room temperature before icing with a flat spatula and covering in the salted toasted coconut. This is a real crowd-pleaser that hits every spot on the flavor spectrum!

Bon Appétit!

Rabbit Juice

Ok, so no, this is not actually rabbit juice, but one of our reader's, Ursulline, created a pretty fabulous healthy juice drink that she named "Rabbit Juice" because it is infused with lots of vegetables, specifically carrots! So what is juicing you might be wondering? According to Ursulline, "Juicing is the quickest way for the enzymes to absorb in your body". We have always wondered what the benefit is over juicing rather than just using a regular blender and Ursulline explained that, "The enzymes go to work a lot faster and break down any toxins in your body because they are live organisms as opposed to blending which still has amazing benefits, but not with the same intensity".  Do you love juicing too? If so, then you will totally love this recipe she created as a part of her healthy drink regimen.

 You will need these ingredients to make "Rabbit Juice":

• Chia seeds
• Ginger root (1 inch)
• Large carrots (qty 4)
• 1/2 of a beet
• 1 orange
• 1/2 of a green apple
• Ground cinnamon (as desired amount)

Simply place all of these ingredients inside your juicer, one at a time, to make the Rabbit Juice drink. The best juicer that Ursulline recommends is the Omega 8006 Juicer! Keep in mind that beets have a very strong color to them so your drink will have a dark reddish-purple look when complete.

Do you have an awesome juicing recipe? We want to try it so please email your recipes to secret@thesororitysecrets.com!

It Girl Trend Report: Summer Sweet Treat

Popsicles, lemonade, and yummy ice cream sandwiches are just some of the sweet summer accents that we look forward to during this time of the year. There is nothing like some sweet summer treats to cool down a hot summer day, so we turned to our It Girl Interns for their favorites. Avery made our mouths watered when she reminded us how good the frozen bananas at Disneyland are! Lucky for her, (and us!) she discovered that you can enjoy this same delicious treat from Trader Joe's called Gone Bananas. Avery said, "It tastes yummy, curbs your chocolate cravings, is ice cold and hey...it's still a fruit so it's sort of a healthy way to go!" Hmm...we're not sure how healthy it is, but we don't mind going with that theory! A classic sweet summer treat that is Cristina's weakness is cookie dough ice cream and we can't blame her because we are guilty of eating it right out of the carton! Cristina isn't the only one who has a love for ice cream; Allie and Victoria love it too!  Victoria chooses to buy it locally at her favorite ice cream shop in Seattle: Molly Moon's. Her favorite flavors to eat there are Honey Lavender or the rich Salted Caramel. While some of our It Girl Interns prefer cold treats, Marisa prefers the delicious snack otherwise known as puppy chow which she loves to easily make with her sorority sisters. Check out the recipe here! Serena also loves to whip up her favorite sweet summer treat which is a smoothie using a pro-biotic rich yogurt drink called Kefir. Serena explained, "By blending Kefir, your favorite fruits, and a little raw Manuka honey, you can have a mouthwatering smoothie that promotes good health with a fraction of the calories!" YUM!

What are some of your favorite sweet summer treats? 

A Patriotic Dessert

We always love a good delicious recipe, especially when it is a healthier version, making you feel less guilty with each bite. One of our favorite foodies and bloggers, Arantha of Gourmet Beauty, shares with us her adapted recipe of the yummy skinny red, white, and blue lemon cheesecake cups. These treats are perfect for the upcoming patriotic holiday! Thank you Arantha!

Skinny Red, White,  & Blue Lemon Cheesecake Cups

Adapted from Skinny Taste 

Ingredients

12 reduced fat Nilla Wafers

8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt

2 large egg whites

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp all purpose flour

strawberries sliced thinly

blueberries

powdered sugar

Directions

 

Step One: Heat oven to 350°.
Step Two: Line cupcake tin with liners. Place a vanilla wafer at the bottom of each liner.

Step Three: Gently beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth using an electric mixer. Gradually beat in fat free yogurt, egg whites, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour. Do not over beat. Pour into cupcake liners filling half way.

Step Four: Bake 15-20 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool to room temperature. Chill a few hours in the refrigerator.  Top with fresh berries before serving and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top if desired.

Enjoy!

Check out more of Gourmet Beauty's healthy recipes on her site now. What's your favorite dessert to whip up during the 4th of July?  

Sweet Greek Treat

Greek Gods Traditional Greek Yogurt, Honey, 24 oz

Ok, so if you don't know already, we each have a serious sweet tooth! Justifying eating a dozen cookies in one sitting really is not the healthiest choice, so we were so glad we discovered a better alternative from one of our readers, Ashley. Ashley discovered a delicious yogurt that we can't wait to try called Greek Gods Traditional Greek Yogurt. So, what is so special about this yogurt you're probably thinking? "You can't stop eating it!" Ashley explained. This yogurt comes in so many flavors but Ashley is obsessed with the honey flavored yogurt. This yogurt flavor can be eaten a million ways than one. It's good with apples, strawberries, or peanut butter. Ashley even suggested freezing it and eating it like ice cream {yum!}. Best of all, this yogurt flavor is 250 calories--the perfect snack! Try the Greek Gods Traditional Greek Yogurt and let us know what you think!

Mini Fiesta

Are you ready for one of the biggest celebrations of the year where sombreros, margaritas, and tortillas are the norm for the day?! We are! It's time for CINCO DE MAYO!! May 5th in the United States is a day of celebration for Mexican heritage and pride. If you're thinking of putting together a mini fiesta, here are some of the essentials you will need to make it un perfecto:

#1 Decorations

Where red, green, yellow, and orange are just some of the typical fiesta colors, decoration must haves include: fiesta table cloth, maracas, pinatas, fiesta colored paper lanterns, festive lights, fiesta colored streamers, napkins, plates, and cutlery. Use cute fiesta-inspired printables to decorate everything on your food table. Check out these cute, free printables here! Sombreros and 'staches are fun fiesta-wear so incorporate them in your decor too! There are always sections in every party store, like Party City, dedicated to Cinco de Mayo decorations so get creative!

#2 Food & Drinks

It's time for some south-of-the-border tasty fun! Food & drink must haves include: icy cold Mexican drinks, chips & salsa, guacamole, chicken-tortilla soup, 7-layer dip, chilli, quesadillas, burritos and tacos. Since tacos are more of a main course, set up a taco bar! Use colorful trays to separate all the toppings – cheese, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, olives, and choices of salsa. For dessert, have churros & sopapillas! Click here for specific Cinco de Mayo recipes!

#3 Entertainment

Although bringing in professional Mexican dancers would make for an authentic experience, save some money and select a station on Pandora or simply download traditional Mexican music from Amazon or iTunes!

We hope you are now ready to plan your next Cinco de Mayo mini fiesta!

ADIOS!

Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

There's just something about brownies that everyone loves- mix that with peanut butter and it's called heaven on earth!  We decided to showcase one of the easiest but most delicious recipe that only takes about 20 minutes to bake- the Peanut Butter Brownie Cups!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1 tablespoon Water
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 cup Peanut Butter Chips
• 1/2 cup to mix in
• 1/2 cup for topping
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 3/4 cup to mix in
• 1/4 cup for topping
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. Grab a microwave-safe bowl and put in the butter, sugar, and water.  Microwave it for about a minute until the butter is melted
3.  Mix in your 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the mixture and mix, mix, mix until it's all melted!
4. Add the egg and vanilla and mix
5. Now add the baking soda and flour and mix
6. ...let it cool to room temperature...
7. Mix in 1/2 cup of peanut butter chips and 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the mix
8. Place the mixture into a greased muffin pan
9. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the inside is still gooey.
10. The center of the brownie cups will start to fall as they cool down, if they don't- go ahead and create a whole in the center of each brownie cup.
11. Place the creamy peanut butter into a microwavable bowl and microwave it for about 50 seconds until it is melted.
12. Pour the melted peanut butter into the center of each brownie cups
13. ...let it cool...
14. Take the remainder of the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips and sprinkle it on top of each peanut butter cups.
15. Loosen the edges and pop them out!

nom, nom, nom away!