Recipe Swap: Mrs. Field's Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Have you ever had a recipe that just goes completely wrong? This recipe for the recipe swap was that one for me. But don't stop reading and write this one off; it's definitely worth making. The theme this time was pumpkin or apple recipes. I submitted my Pumpkin Butterscotch and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

It started out when my to-do list this week exploded. I knew I had to make the cookies but then I kept adding x,y,z to my list to get ready for school and my parents visit. Every time I got ready to make the cookies, something else would pop into my head. Finally, 10:00pm rolls around and I start to make them. But then I realize that the things I thought I had weren't in the pantry. I was missing cloves, lemon zest, and honey. With some quick thinking substitutions (maple syrup kind of has the same consistency as honey and it seemed like it could fit with a Fall-ish recipe), I was able to make these cookies.

These definitely tasted like Fall. Cinnamon and apples have to be one of the best combinations out there and adding oatmeal into the mix and putting it in cookie form just made the pair even better. Their texture isn't like your regular cookie; it's more cake-like but it's also extremely moist. I recommend going by the actual recipe but if you are in a pinch, don't hesitate to substitute.

Mrs. Field's Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Source: Delish

2.5 cups AP flour

1 cup quick oats

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup butter

1 large egg

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup honey

1 cup fresh apple, peeled and finely chopped

Extra quick oats for topping, optional

Preheat oven to 300º. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, salt, soda, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter together using an electric mixer. Add the egg, applesauce, and honey and beat at medium speed until smooth. Add the flour mixture in slowly until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the apples.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, 1.5 inches apart. You can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with extra oats if you'd like.

Bake the cookies for 23-25 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Enjoy!

Recipe Swap: Baked Rigatoni with Spinach and Meatballs

The theme for this recipe swap was "Italian." Considering I'm like 1/8th Sicilian, I was excited. I love love love Italian food, more than Snooki from Jersey Shore loves to tan, and that girl LOVES to tan.

Anyways, I can always use some more pasta recipes and this one is a keeper. I received this one from the Jey of Cooking. I knew it would be good since I've made a few of her recipes before and they have all been delicious.

Updated 8/29: Here is the link for the Italian Recipe Swap Roundup.

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach and Meatballs

Source: The Jey of Cooking

Baked Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup Panko

1/4 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

splash of milk

splash of Worcestershire

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425º. Combine ingredients and mix by hand. Form into balls and place on a lightly oiled, foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-25 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Baked Rigatoni with Spinach and Meatballs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 jar pasta sauce

1 box rigatoni, cooked al dente

16 oz bag of baby spinach, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 container ricotta

1/4 cup Parmesan

1 container baby mozzarella balls, halved

Baked Meatballs (see above recipe)

1 pinch Nutmeg

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350º. Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add sauce and cook and additional 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine spinach, parsley, ricotta, parmesan, and nutmeg. Add pasta, meatballs, and sauce and mix to combine. Reserve some sauce for serving.

Transfer to baking dish and top with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until browned, about 5 minutes.

Recipe Swap: Orzo Salad with Watermelon and Feta

The theme for this recipe swap was Memorial Day. There were lots of cookout and summer inspired recipes (you can check out the roundup of everyone's recipes here). When I think Memorial Day, I think cookouts by the pool and laying out on the beach. It's the first "official" day of summer for me and I love to celebrate by lighting up the grill and cooking out!

This year's Memorial Day was not spent in my favorite way. Instead I had a four hour flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles and then a two hour battle in traffic from Los Angeles to our home in San Diego. By the time we got home, cooking out was the last thing on my mind. So instead of cooking out by the beach with friends, we pulled on sweats and had some takeout. It was good enough for me.

Later on that week, we decided to grill out so I could make this recipe and enjoy it with some real summer food-hamburgers. I received this recipe from Jey, of the Jey of Cooking. We loved it! I'm a sucker for anything with cheese and the watermelon and basil added the perfect flavors! She tried out one of our favorite Bobby Flay recipes for Grilled Corn with Garlic Butter, Lime, and Parmesan (check it out here)!

1 cup uncooked orzo

2 cups watermelon, seeded and diced

1/2 cup feta cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced thin

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water and allow to cool. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve. Enjoy!

WC Recipe Swap: Chicken with Green Olives, Black Beans and Saffron Rice

One of the posters on a cooking board I frequent recently suggested a recipe swap featuring chicken. I thought this was a great idea because you can never have enough chicken recipes! I submitted my Honey Balsamic Glazed Chicken that I made a few weeks ago and received this one in return.

I was a little nervous before getting my recipe because I wasn't sure what I would be getting! The WC Board has a range of skills and I was afraid I'd end up with a complicated recipe I didn't understand with ingredients I had no clue where to find. Luckily, I didn't.

This was a relatively simple and easy to put together recipe. I didn't make the beans because the hubs is not a fan, as you know. The flavors of this recipe complemented each other and the hubby went back for sec err... thirds. Next time I make this and there will be a next time, I might use boneless, skinless thighs since I have this weird thing about meat on bones. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who likes olives! Recipe adapted from Nestie nunyabeeswax.

Chicken

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 small jar Spanish green olives

1.5 cups white wine

1 cup chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

4 tbsp olive oil

Black Beans

1 pkg dried black beans

2 onions

1 head of garlic

1 bunch cilantro

stock or water (enough to cover beans)

Saffron Rice

3 cups white jasmine rice or basmati rice

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

3.5 cups chicken stock

2 tsp saffron threads

1 tsp turmeric

For the beans, rinse and check dried beans thoroughly. Peel and quarter the onions and place in a large stock pot. Peel and smash the garlic and add to pot along with the beans and cilantro. Cover with stock or water, at least 3 inches above. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until soft.

For the chicken, preheat the oven to 350º. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown in 2 tbsp of olive oil on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute onion until almost translucent then add garlic and saute another minute. Deglaze the pan with wine, allowing the alcohol to cook off. Stir in chicken stock and green olives. Add chicken back to the pan and pour ingredients into an oven-safe pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until heated through.

For the rice, start by toasting the rice in the butter and olive oil for about 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and then add the chicken stock and saffron. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered until rice has absorbed stock, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit with lid on for 10 minutes. Enjoy!