Dunking Platter Cookies

When I went home for the holidays, my mom cooked a feast for every meal. But a dessert that really stood out, were these delicious cookies!

Dunking Platter Cookies

Makes 3-4 dozen

1 cup melted butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup grape nut flakes

• Mix melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar.
• Add eggs and vanilla, cream together.
• Combine the rest of the dry ingredients, mix well, then add to mixture.
• Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup raisins

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except oats, flour and raisins, with electric mixer on medium speed.
• Stir in oats, flour and raisins.
• On a cookie sheet, place rounded spoonfuls of of dough about 2 inches apart.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown.

Blueberry Pie

If you are looking for excuses to eat sweets, a delicious blueberry pie is the perfect dessert for you. Blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant levels. Antioxidants help the body fight against the damaging effects of free radicals and chronic diseases associated with the aging process.

One of the things I find most interesting is that researchers have identified compounds in blueberries called proanthocyanidins that promote urinary tract health and reduce the risk of infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells that line the walls of the urinary tract. So not only are blueberries included in the interstitial cystitis diet, but they can actually promote good bladder health. How's that for an excuse to eat a dessert? Click here to read more about the health benefits of having blueberries a part of your diet.

Blueberry Pie
Serves 8

3/4 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 tablespoon butter

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and sprinkle over blueberries.
• Line pie dish with one pie crust.
• Pour berry mixture into the crust, and dot with butter.
• Place remaining pastry over the pie. Crimp and flute edges. (You can also cut lattice the pastry).
• Cut four slits at the top of the pastry.
• Bake pie on lower shelf of oven for about 50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Vanilla Cream Pie

I had a difficult time finding a dessert recipe for a holiday dinner. Everything seems to have fruit someone with interstitial cystitis can't eat or uses chocolate, another enemy. I finally found a simple solution, vanilla cream pie. The pie is pretty easy to make, but the simplicity doesn't reflect in the rich flavor. My only suggestion would be to NOT attempt to whip the meringue by hand.

Vanilla Cream Pie

Makes one pie

Pie Ingredients:
1 baked 9 inch pie shell
3 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Meringue Topping:
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 tablespoons sugar

Pie:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Whisk the egg yolks in the milk until blended, then combine in a medium saucepan with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Mix thoroughly.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat. Pour into pie crust.
• Cool to room temperature. Make meringue while pie is cooling.

Topping:

• Place whites in a copper, stainless steel, or glass bowl. Do NOT use an aluminum bowl as it will reduce the egg-white volume.
• Add cream of tartar to egg whites and whip with a mixer until whites form a soft peak.
• Continue beating, adding sugar gradually, until whites hold a stiff peak.
• Pile lightly on top of pie filling. Spread to edges of crust. Bake in a oven until lightly browned (10-15 minutes).
• Cool before serving.

Butterscotch Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup butterscotch chips

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan.
• Remove from heat and add brown sugar, mixing until smooth.
• Add egg and vanilla, beating until smooth.
• Mix together flour and baking soda and stir into batter.
• Chill batter in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, then stir in butterscotch chips.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

**You can substitute butterscotch chips for golden raisins, dates, almonds, white chocolate chips or cashews.

Sichuan Baked Pears

These baked pears are perfect for a light dessert and delicious with a side of vanilla ice cream.

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
2 firm pears, peeled and sliced in quarters
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. anise seed
1/8 tsp. all spice
1/8 tsp. coriander

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt butter and pour into a shallow baking dish.
• Coat pear slices with butter.
• Mix sugar and spices and sprinkle over pears.
• Bake for 5 minutes then baste in pan juices.
• Bake another 7 minutes until sugar is bubbly.
• Serve warm.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

makes about 3 dozen cookies
1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
• In small bowl, mix 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.
• Shape dough into 1 1/3 inch balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Place balls about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

Favorite Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Okay these DEFINITELY go down in history for my favorite cookies of all time! They combine the best of both worlds -- peanut butter cookies AND oatmeal cookies. Plus these are low-cal (well at least for a sweet) with only 86 calories per cookie!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
makes about 36 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 egg white
4 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/3 cup plain instant oatmeal

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Stir melted butter and peanut butter together and set aside.
• Combine sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add peanut butter mixture and stir until it is an even consistency.
• Stir in egg and egg white, then vanilla and milk. Mix thoroughly.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and oatmeal.
• Stir dry ingredients into batter and mix well.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Texas Gold Bricks

If you are a brownie lover that feels like you had to abandon one of your favorite comfort foods, this is the recipe for you. This lovely little cookie-like dessert will brighten anyone's tastebuds, with IC or not.

Texas Gold Bricks

1 Box yellow cake mix
1 egg slightly beaten
1 stick melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 box powdered sugar
2 eggs beaten

• Mix the first 3 ingredients and press into a greased 9X13 pyrex pan.
• Mix the last 4 ingredients and evenly pour into the pan.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes at 300 degrees.

Blackberry Cobbler

I have to say, cherry pie is probably one the things I love most. Unfortunately, cherries don't fall into an IC diet. Thanks to my boyfriend I discovered this easy recipe that creates something just as amazing as cherry pie--or better!

Blackberry Cobbler
Serves 10-12

Pastry for 1 pie:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter or margarine at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
6 tablespoons ice cold water
2 tsp. nutmeg

Filling:
4 cups blackberries (about 5 carts or even try frozen blackberries)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 stick butter or margarine

• Prepare pastry: Put flour, salt, butter, nutmeg and shortening into a bowl and mix with pastry mixer or with fork until shortening is the size of small peas. Add ice water and mix to pastry consistency. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
• Wash and cap berries; drain. Combine berries, sugar, flour, and water, and place in 9X13 oven-proof baking dish.
• Roll out pastry on floured board and cut into 3/4" strips. Line pastry dish with pastry mixture. Arrange rest of pastry strips on top of berries in a criss-cross fashion and top with dots of butter or margarine, sprinkle lightly with sugar.
• Bake at 400° until crust is golden brown about 45 minutes.
• Let cool for about 10-15 minutes to thicken
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Pear Crumble Pie

Fruit pies are one of my weaknesses. And to be honest I had never really tried a pear pie until I found this recipe. It is definitely one of my favorites and it's very easy to make!

Pear Crumble Pie
serves 8

1 9-inch pre-made pie crust

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
5-6 sliced, peeled, firm pears

Topping:
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a bowl mix together sugar, cornstarch, flour, cinnamon and toss pears into mixture to coat for filling.
• In another bowl, combine sugar, flour and spices for topping. Add butter until crumbly lumps are the size of peas.
• Pour filling into pie crust then evenly pour topping onto the pie.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. (Coving edges with foil for the first 30 minutes helps keep edges from burning).