This is the first week of my CSA with Stone Gardens Farm, and I could not be more excited. This past winter has been brutal, and I was pretty sad when I would go to the grocery store, and look at all the pathetic produce. After 4 years of a CSA, you get a little spoiled! Due to growing conditions, we had a smaller than usual box of goodies….this week was leeks, radishes, kale, lettuce, “popcorn on the cob”, eggs, and the farm’s homemade salsa. Now, I have a love/hate relationship with kale. I hate the taste in most of the recipes that I try it in (I know, I know…everyone loves kale chips, I don’t…) – but I LOVE to eat it because I know the health benefits. My goal this spring, as the kale comes to my house in copious amounts is to find recipes that I will enjoy. So…maybe its the addition of bread or cheese – but this recipe for Kale Stuffed Bread (emailed out to us by our farm) is a winner I have had slices for lunch this week with some pizza sauce and a salad. I’m not going to lie, it is pretty much delicious, and I see this being made just about every week that Kale comes in my CSA! And I can’t say if the kids like it or not, because I haven’t been a very good sharer. Bad mom…
Kale Stuffed Bread
1 lb pizza/bread dough (my preference is always frozen bread dough – you can buy whole wheat or plain, and i find it is much easier to work with than pizza dough. I also use this for my homemade pizzas. Perfect to always have on hand!
1-2 leeks, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale greens
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 lb mozzarella and/or provolone cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Saute leeks, garlic, and kale in oil until tender. Add salt & pepper to taste. Let cool slightly.
Roll out dough as if you were making a pizza. Place sliced cheeses on center of dough, leaving at least 2 inches from the edge all the way around, then top with kale/leek mixture. Fold dough over itself to make the stuffed bread loaf. Add a few slits to the top to let steam escape while it’s cooking or the dough will burst making a mess in your oven!
Let the dough rise for about 1 hr, then baked in a 400 degree oven for about 20 mins until the outside was slightly browned. Here was my finished product:
You can either slice and enjoy immediately or, to freeze: let the bread cool, wrap in cling wrap, and then foil wrap. Label, date, and freeze!
This looks so delicious! I had a CSA last year but was really unhappy with the produce, I am going to try for another one this year. I recently learned to how make kale chips and they were so fantastic!
This looks amazing (and I COMPLETELY share your feelings about kale. I’m bookmarking this one for later use! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Jamie Urbanawiz -May 10, 2013 - 11:34 pm
I’ll admit, I’ve been too chicken to try kale chips. I’ve been really wanting to get into a CSA. I’m hoping that, someday, DH will agree to it. I’m pretty new to kale, but have used it in smoothies, and there’s a knock-off version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana that also uses it(Although we usually use chard).
Much like the grocery store which was discussed last week – I feel like travelling lends itself extremely well to “mommy brain” moments.
I received today’s mommy brain moment from one of my from one of my readers…as much as I love reader submitted mommy brain moments, I felt so sad about this one!!
I was heading away for a girls weekend, and was incredibly excited. I was meeting my friends in Florida, and couldn’t wait for some much needed relaxation time. I asked a friend to drive me to the airport. I live in between 2 airports, Hartford and Westchester. I always fly out of Westchester, so that was naturally where I thought I was supposed to be. I got to the desk to check in, and the airport employee told me I was out of luck – as my ticket was for Hartford! The flight was leaving in 1 hour, and there was no way I could make it to Hartford in time during rush hour traffic.
Another flight was leaving for the same destination 4 hours later from Westchester. I paid for a new ticket, went through security, and “relaxed” for 4 hours until my flight took off. It was a rough start to the weekend, but showed how much I needed that trip.
WOW – I was cringing the entire time I read the email…poor momma!!!
Do you have any mommy brain travel stories?? I hope there are not too many other “good” ones like this out there!!
Wow! Sorry for that reader’s predicament. My “daddy-brain” tells me not to give myself a choice and don’t deviate from the one choice (which for me is Bradley) and I stay out of trouble that way!
admin -May 3, 2013 - 7:35 am
So true…stick to what we know!!! Thanks for your comment – love having dads on here!
2 years ago, we took our son on a trip to Disney World. I remember getting off the monorail at Epcot, and noticing two other families. One family had 2 little girls who had been to the Bippity Boppity Boutique. I think the boutique is adorable, but these girls were dressed in WAY over the top princess dresses (long sleeves, ball gowns, the whole 9 yards), had on high heels, and they just looked well, miserable. They were at Disney and could not run around and be kids. There was another family that was exiting the monorail, and their daughter was dressed as Buzz Lightyear. Yes, the Buzz of “Toy Story” fame. “Buzz” ran off the monorail, put her arms out in flying motion and zoomed her way towards Epcot with a massive smile on her face. I leaned over and whispered in my husband’s ear – “if we ever had a choice – I would want our son to marry a girl just like the one dressed as Buzz Lightyear – she loves life, and not caught up in the princess world.”
Fast forward to today, where I now have a 2-year-old little girl, and am surrounded by Sofia the First, Cinderella, and other princess goodies. There are crowns, jewels, and dresses found in every nook and cranny of my house. I have a little girl who is always asking to have a different dress put on her, has a purse in hand, and will twirl around saying “look at me!”
With my first child being a boy, this world is brand new for me….of course I watched the movies myself growing up, but I felt that I was more of a fan of someone like Belle who learned how to control the Beast as opposed to Cinderella who waited for the right shoe to fit, or Snow White and the “Someday my Prince will come” bit.
I would not really classify myself as a feminist…I want my daughter to find a “prince” when she grows up….but I also want her to be able to handle life without one. I also have a really hard time seeing the differences, even at a young age between boys and girls. People notice on my little girl an outfit, her hair, the accessories more than anything that I have ever put on my son. I mean, of course it is cute to see a little girl all dressed up, but looking back to that Disney trip, I fear giving in to behavior now which will influence who my daughter is later in life.
So…as a mommy to an aspiring princess, here are…
1) If you can’t walk in super high heels, don’t wear them. Whether you are 2, 15, or 30, it looks a bit silly if you can’t pull them off. Wear great shoes that you can walk in (kitten heels are my personal favorite), hold your head high, and go forth with confidence.
2) Life is dirty so don’t be afraid to get your ball gown dirty – or better yet, dress for the occasion. Play in the mud, go find bugs, climb some rocks. There is no stain that oxyclean can’t fix.
3) Instead of wishing people would “look at me”…look at the people who are hurting, who need compassion, who need an extra hand…Try to improve the lives of others as best you can.
4) Purses are great – full purses are better. Be self-sufficient, know how to save money, and always, always know what you are “worth.”
5) A crown doesn’t matter if the head it is on is not filled. Focus in school, work hard, and learn anywhere and everywhere you go.
6) The jewels you collect are worthless compared to the people you surround yourself with. Develop and cultivate friendships, enjoy your family…the people in your life are the jewels that will never dull.
And lastly…
7) Being beautiful on the inside is a million times more important than being beautiful on the outside. Once you realize this about yourself, and others, you will be a lot happier with the company you keep, and the person that you are.
Do you have an aspiring princess? Do you have any “rules” to keep her grounded?
Yes, I do have a princess!! Like you I had a son first so the princess world was a little new to me, but I was always a girly girl so I was very cool with it. My friends always loved when Lizzy would walk into the playground with a dress, sneakers, a tiara, a truck or a lizard and covered in dirt!! Leggins are a great invention too!!! I love your “rules” for being a princess, they are spot on!! Enjoy your princess!
Love this! I have a 3 month old girl and I’m a fan of Disney so right now I’m big on putting her in the cute Disney outfits. But if she ever wanted to be a pirate I would be okay with that too.
Jen -April 30, 2013 - 9:03 pm
I have 3 “princesses” that I am currently packing up for Disney. We are stuffing princess outfits in our bags (to support your keep your purse full rule…Saving big bucks packing vs purchasing at the ever so pricey Magic kingdom) and many other princess items…..with a handful of Jake and the Neverland pirate thrown in . I say let them be superheros or pirates or whatever princess they want as long as they always retain what I feel is your best princess rule ” to remember that being beautiful on the inside is way more important than what anyone sees on the outside ” (blisters on the toes from ill-fitting plastic princess shoes and all)
Great Post!!!
Jamie Urbanawiz -May 1, 2013 - 9:47 am
Yep, I have a princess, much to my dismay. I swear that stuff is coded in our genes. As much as I tried to avoid it, the princess thing crept into our lives(Especially after our trip to Disney). Oh well. She can be a princess, as long as she’s something else, too. I think your ground rules are perfect, and echo much of what I have been thinking lately.
Love this!! Really good lessons for kids AND adults
Anne -May 1, 2013 - 2:13 pm
I absolutely love “rule #7″. Being a former teacher, I quickly realized instilling in children the value of being beautiful on the inside helps them become more confident in themselves, develop more friendships, and helps them to “grow” even more.
admin -May 3, 2013 - 7:37 am
Thank you so much for your comments…it is a tough balance, but I feel like they are important lessons to start from the beginning!
My children love the Disney Junior show The Octonauts - the show has short episodes (key for capturing the attention of a 4 & 2-year-old), where a team of underwater heroes explore the worlds oceans, rescue the creatures who live there, and protect their habitats.
My son loves strange animal facts, my daughter loves anything water related, and I love that there is no argument about watching “my show!” Clearly a win-win show for all of us! Now…once my kids see a show on TV they love to have a couple of toys to play with from the show. They will recreate scenes for hours…which honestly, I can’t complain about! I have had a tough time finding products from The Octonauts, so was very excited when I had the opportunity to review some of their new items.
When we received the items, my kids were so excited, they practically ripped into them…you would have thought it was Christmas morning! They have played with them nonstop for weeks. I feel like the toys are made extremely well, and are perfectly entertaining. Some of the smaller toys have accompanied us to doctors appointments, car trips, and have even made their way to the water table outside as the weather is starting to warm up!
Here is a sampling of some of the new Octonauts Toys, all of which are available at Toys R Us.
Octonauts Octopod Playset: This is the “home-base” of the Octonauts. My son usually has my daughter “man” the station, while he goes out on the adventures (hey, whatever works!). She loves bringing up the baskets, sliding the various characters around the house, and of course, sounding the alert.
Octonauts Gup-B Mission Vehicle and Kwazii:As mentioned…my son is usually the one who takes the team out on their adventures. This mission vehicle has not only gone all over our house, but the backyard, the water table (bringing out the color changes in the creatures!).
Rescue Assortment Barnacles and Tunip: Because my kids watch the Octonauts regularly, they were very prepared to act out the ENTIRE show…which means….you need figures, the animals, and the rescue tools! This little set is perfect, and again, the creatures change color in water. In looking at a lot of the “creature sets”, I found this one had some of the best variety. It was an instant hit, and the perfect complement to the Octopod, and the Gup-B Mission Vehicle.
Octonauts Octo-Compass: This compass is so fun…and out of all the octonauts products, the one that my children fight over the most! You can hear all the popular phrases of the Octonauts, as well as various creature sounds. While they are able to act out their favorite missions with the compass, I have also found them using the compass as a phone to call sea creatures, or really just sitting there and giggling the funny sounds that it makes. To be honest – it makes me laugh quite a bit as well. So fun!
Are your kids fans of the Octonauts show? What do you think of the Octonauts toys above? Do you have any of the toys mentioned, or do you think that any will be on your children’s wish lists?
Disclaimer: I received the toys listed above in exchange for my review. All of the opinions listed above are my own honest opinions!
You may have noted that mommy-brain moments are slipping on the site lately. I don’t know if I have gotten my act together or I just forget them, they have become so natural in life. Today’s could not be ignored though!I have noticed that a lot of my mommy brain moments happen in the grocery store. There must be something about planning out a week’s worth of food, combined with going into the store and the overwhelming choices. Couple that with kids who usually want to be anywhere but the grocery store, trying to concentrate to make good financial and health choices and…..it all makes for a pretty good time and a grocery store mix up!
I usually plan out my trip to the grocery store first by writing out the meals we would like, writing down any ingredients, and then getting our usual staples. So…standard meal items (i.e. fruit, bread, milk, eggs), plus the stuff that we will be needing for our meals. Sounds good, right? I write everything down in my trusty little notebook, and tear out the sheet with my list as I walk into the store.
Unless…I forgot to take out the previous week’s shopping list, meaning that 2 weeks in a row, I had the same list in my hand. Halfway through the food shopping, I realized, I was buying everything for the old list. Now, some people might stop their shopping, run out to the car, and grab the “right” list…I figured my family didn’t complain the week before, so the same menu was going to be put into play. Who needs diversity in meal planning, right?! So the big test – will my family even notice? My guess is no. I am thinking that this mix up will be the kick that I need to simplify the cooking in my house!
WHOOPS!
What do you think – is the grocery store the prime place for mix-ups to happen? Do you have a good grocery store story to share????
Hope you are having a mommy-brain moment free week this week!
I can totally relate! It never fails that I forget at least one item on my list and I always remember it as we are driving away from the store. Since it takes so much effort to go back and get Keenan out of the car again, I usually just forget it and go back another day when I can just run in quickly.
The past couple of weeks have been all about mommy-brain for me. I think it has to do with going to bed WAY too late and so much going on with our move. I’ll be happy when everything is done and we are settled!
I have had slices for lunch this week with some pizza sauce and a salad. I’m not going to lie, it is pretty much delicious, and I see this being made just about every week that Kale comes in my CSA! And I can’t say if the kids like it or not, because I haven’t been a very good sharer. Bad mom…
Kale Stuffed Bread
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. I say let them be superheros or pirates or whatever princess they want as long as they always retain what I feel is your best princess rule ” to remember that being beautiful on the inside is way more important than what anyone sees on the outside ” (blisters on the toes from ill-fitting plastic princess shoes and all) 
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This looks so delicious! I had a CSA last year but was really unhappy with the produce, I am going to try for another one this year. I recently learned to how make kale chips and they were so fantastic!
This looks amazing (and I COMPLETELY share your feelings about kale. I’m bookmarking this one for later use! Thanks so much for sharing!!
I’ll admit, I’ve been too chicken to try kale chips. I’ve been really wanting to get into a CSA. I’m hoping that, someday, DH will agree to it. I’m pretty new to kale, but have used it in smoothies, and there’s a knock-off version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana that also uses it(Although we usually use chard).