Flavors of Fall: Pumpkin, Apple and Sweet Potato

Tasty, easy and budget friendly fall recipes to try at your next party, catered event or restaurant menu change.

Aw…the familiar flavors of apple, sweet potato, pumpkin and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are enough to make anyone settle in for a cozy evening at home. It’s clear, Tundra Restaurant Supply is obsessed with food service products, and we carry everything from baking sheets and commercial refrigerators to pint glasses and salt & pepper shakers. In our effort to bring more to the table, we’re featuring a couple of rich, flavorful recipes we thought you might like to try!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

These cheesecake bars are quick, easy and undeniably tasty. Give them a try at your next catered event, party or to simply share with family and friends.

Crust Ingredients

• 20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos are great)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8-inch-square pan with foil so that foil overhangs sides. Mist with cooking spray.
2. Make crust: Process cookies in food processor until ground. Pulse in butter. Press evenly into pan. Bake until firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly.
3. Make filling: With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin, then eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla, flour, spice and salt until just combined.
4. Pour mixture into pan. Put pan on a large rimmed baking sheet; place in oven. Pour hot water into baking sheet until it’s nearly filled. Bake until cheesecake is set around edges but jiggles slightly in center, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove pan from sheet; cool completely on rack. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
5. Cut into bar sized servings.
6. Enjoy!

Recipe is courtesy of My Recipes.

Classic Sweet Potato Pie

Perfect pie recipe for beginner home chefs or on-the-go professionals!

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled, cooked sweet potatoes
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 stick melted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup milk
• 9-inch unbaked pie crust
• 3 egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the filling, using an electric hand mixer, combine the potatoes, 1 cup of the sugar, the butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and spices. Mix thoroughly. Add the milk and continue to mix.
3. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Place the pie on a rack and cool to room temperature before covering with meringue.
5. For the meringue, using an electric mixer beat the egg whites until soft peaks form; beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy and stiff, but not dry. With a rubber spatula, spoon the meringue onto the pie, forming peaks. Make sure the meringue touches the crust all around.
6. Sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until delicately browned.
8. Cool, serve and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Food Network.

Apply & Grape Pie

Use red grapes to achieve a deep purple color – great for any fall setting!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

Filling:

• 3 pounds tart, crisp apples (such as Pink Lady), peeled, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
• 1 pound red grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Vanilla ice cream (optional as a topping)

Directions:

For crust:

1. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse just until coarse meal forms. Add 1/3 cup ice water; pulse until dough forms clumps, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into a ball; divide in half. Flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
2. Roll out 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface into an 11″ round. Transfer to pie dish; press gently onto bottom and up sides of dish. Trim dough flush with edge of dish, leaving no overhang. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes. Add scraps to remaining dough disk; roll out on parchment paper to a 12″ round. Slide paper with dough onto a rimless baking sheet and chill in refrigerator.
3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line dough in pie dish with foil or parchment paper. Fill foil with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are just beginning to turn golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights. Return dish to oven; continue baking until crust is dark golden all over, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let crust cool completely.

For filling:

1. Mix apples, grapes, sugar, and flour in a large saucepan; stir to coat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until fruit is translucent and juices are thickened, 30-40 minutes. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer fruit to crust. Remove remaining dough from refrigerator. Using a decorative cutter, make a pattern in center of dough, leaving a 2″ plain border; reserve cutouts. Invert dough over fruit in crust; peel off parchment paper. Trim dough along edge of crust, leaving no overhang. Arrange reserved dough cutouts decoratively over top crust, pressing lightly to adhere. Place pie on a baking sheet.
3. Bake pie until crust is golden brown and juices bubble, 50 minutes-1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.