Hello Recipe Club,

I love this time of year. I look forward to the upcoming holidays for many reasons. I enjoy all the family contact, the parties and the decorations. But I most enjoy the planning. Planning for the big meals. Especially Thanksgiving dinner. That is the biggest meal of the year and we work hard on it. Many people stick to a very traditional menu year to year and their families would not have it any other way. Around here we like to mix it up a bit from year to year. And that is the reason for the recipes you will be getting for the next eight days. Twists and tweaks on a familiar theme. I hope you enjoy them. For even more recipes, please visit our Seasonal Holiday Recipe Guide. And please try to support the advertisers who are sponsoring the guide. Thank you.

Today's Tip:

Overloaded refrigerators are an invitation to food poisoning!

The latest research shows that 88 per cent of cases of domestic food poisoning result when people are catering for larger numbers than usual. Cramming food into the refrigerator and constantly opening the door can cause the internal temperature to rise.

• Check the temperature of your refrigerator from time to time using a refrigerator thermometer. If it's between 32°F (0°C) and 40°F (5°C), the germs that can cause illness can't multiply. 
   
• Hot foods should be cooled quickly before placing in the refrigerator or the refrigerator temperature will rise.
   
• All food in the refrigerator should be covered.
   
• Store raw and ready to eat food separately with raw foods on the bottom shelves and ready to eat above.
   
• Food should be eaten before its 'Use by' or 'Best before' dates.
   
• Defrost your refrigerator regularly to help it operate efficiently.

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Horseradish Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving

Ingredients:

2 cups canned, whole cranberries, chopped
1/2 small red onion, minced
3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt
2 tablespoons horseradish, or more to taste

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and serve with turkey. This is a great cranberry addition for Thanksgiving and wonderful as a spread for leftover turkey sandwiches.

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Thanksgiving Turkey Strudel

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 1/2 packages fresh spinach, de-stemmed and rinsed
2 1/2 cups cooked turkey, very finely chopped
1/4 cup dark raisins, chopped, optional
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

Strudel:

8 sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Steam spinach for 2 to 3 minutes; drain very well (make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible) and cool. Mix together remaining filling ingredients, stir in spinach.

Place one sheet of phyllo on an ungreased cookie sheet (keep remaining phyllo under a damp towel to keep moist). Brush with melted butter. Put on 3 more sheets, brush with butter. 

Place another sheet crosswise on top of the first 4 sheets; brush with butter. Top with remaining sheets (going in same direction as the last sheet) and brush with butter.

Spoon filling onto the middle of the phyllo sheets. Bring phyllo sheets up and over filling and shape into a round shape....make sure phyllo encloses all of the filling. (You can twist the top ends of the phyllo dough like a Hershey's Kiss or just leave then lying flat over the top.) 

Brush with remaining butter. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cut in wedges to serve.

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Carrot, Date and Pecan Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups grated carrots
10 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup chopped pecans
arugula or young lettuce leaves

Preparation:

Combine the cheese, olive oil, vinegar and pepper in a bowl, mashing and whisking the cheese to make a thick dressing.

Peel the carrots, then grate them on the large holes of hand-held grater to make 2 cups. Chop the dates and pecans into pieces about the size of corn kernels. Add the dressing to the carrots, dates and pecans and stir until they are well coated.

Transfer to individual salad plates lined with arugula or lettuce.

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Pumpkin Coffeecake

Ingredients:

Coffeecake:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Streusel Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream first 3 ingredients and add the eggs, beating well. Combine next 3 ingredients and add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Combine pumpkin, beaten egg, sugar and pie spice.

In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients for streusel.

Spoon half of the batter into ungreased 9 x13-inch pan. Sprinkle with half of the streusel mixture. Spread pumpkin mixture over streusel. Carefully spread remaining half of the batter over pumpkin layer. 

Sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.