There’s Thanksgiving and then there’s a Cajun-Creole Thanksgiving. This year, change up your traditional Thanksgiving dishes and make a Cajun-Creole version.

These offerings are delicious and anything but ordinary. Jazz up your gathering with a spiced turkey and beignets.

SPICED TURKEY

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, patted dry
• Kosher salt and black pepper, as needed
• 1-1/4 cups Cajun-Creole Seasoning (recipe below)
• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup (or more) olive or vegetable oil

Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Season turkey lightly inside and out with salt and pepper, then with spice mix. Massage into skin. Transfer turkey, breast side down, to prepared pan and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. Remove turkey from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, mix vegetables. Fill turkey cavities with vegetable mixture, scattering any remaining vegetables over bottom of roasting pan. Brush turkey with oil.

Roast turkey, basting occasionally, for 1 hour. Using paper towels, flip turkey. Continue roasting and basting, another 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until an instant- read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees. Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Serves 10.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 12-pound turkey and no additional salt besides Cajun-Creole seasoning): 550 calories, 24 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 260 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,300 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 72 g protein.

CAJUN-CREOLE SEASONING

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• 4 tablespoons onion powder
• 4 tablespoons garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons white pepper
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 10 tablespoons paprika
• 6 tablespoons salt

In small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container. Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per tablespoon: 15 calories,1,050 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, no fat, cholesterol or sugar.

BEIGNETS

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• 5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 (1.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Powdered sugar for dusting

In large bowl, stir together 3 cups flour and yeast.

In small saucepan on medium-low, heat and stir evaporated milk, water, granulated sugar, shortening and salt, just until shortening is almost melted.

Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl.

Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Place dough in a greased bowl; turn once to grease the surface. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Roll into an 18-by-12-inch rectangle; cut into 36 3-by-2-inch rectangles. Cover; let rest 20 minutes (dough will not double).

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep saucepan. Fry a few dough rectangles at a time in hot oil about 1 minute or until beignets are golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining dough.

Sift powdered sugar generously over beignets. Serve warm. Makes 3 dozen.

Approximate nutritional information, per beignet (not including powdered sugar): 170 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 3 g protein.

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.