too easy to be true

I guess I'm a purist. I don't think of myself that way but then I'll be at this crossroads and think, okay, I can take the long way, the way my grandma walked and her grandma walked, or I can take the shortcut and cheat a little, modernize. When I get there, though, I realize I am too much of a purist to take the shortcut and too busy and tired and short on time to do it the old fashioned way. So I do neither.

Take bread, for example. I have made bread, kneading by hand -- the long, somewhat tedious process (stress on long) -- with satisfying results. I have also made bread by bread machine (borrowed), which was infinitely easier but not nearly as satisfying or tasty. But when was the last time I made bread by hand? At least if I had a bread machine, we'd be enjoying something fresh baked every few days. But I just can't do it. It feels like cheating.

Last week I was a friend's house for an impromtu lunch with our kids and she had the most delicious flax seed rolls. They tasted homemade, but this was a busy part-time pediatrician, mom of two young children and I knew she couldn't have the time for breadmaking. I was wrong! She confirmed that they were homemade. In fact, she makes bread a couple times a week! Then, as I was getting on my knees to bow to her, she told me her secret. She uses the bread hook on her Kitchen Aid mixer.

Ack! Could I do this? I mean, it's not the old fashioned way. It's not what my grandma did. But (and this is a big but) those rolls were incredibly good. You could not buy them in any store. Right then and there, I decided that for the first time in the life of my Kitchen Aid mixer, I was going to use that bread hook. And today I did just that.

I made the flax seed rolls and they were every bit as incredible as the ones my friend made. They took about the same effort as making a brownie mix. While the rolls were magically kneading in the mixer, I tidied the kitchen. And, voila, delicious, chewy, fresh-baked rolls! So, if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer (the obligitory wedding registry item), dig out the bread hook. You will be SO glad you did.

Flax Seed Rolls (or bread)

4 1/2 tsp yeast (or 2 packets)
2 cups warm water (around 110 degrees)
2 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
Approximately 6 cups flour (I used 3-4 cups white, 2 cups wheat and 1 cup of flax seeds)

Dissolve yeast in warm water and add the rest of the ingredients. Start kneading as you add the ingredients. Stop adding the last cup of white flour when the dough pulls away cleanly from the side of the bowl. (Total kneading time should be 5-7 minutes.) Let rise in bowl until about double; punch down and place in two greased large/medium bread pans or make rolls (about 20) and put on greased cookie sheets. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.