Nut and Seed Breakfast Rolls

While it might not be possible to love an inanimate object in the true sense of the word, occasionally it is certainly plausible to become obsessed with the simplest of things... Over the years I've grown to madly adore my rice cooker, my balloon whisk (are you sensing a kitchen theme here? :-), my KitchenAid stand mixer... You get the picture. So, right now, I'm wondering...

What are the little every-day joys with which you might be a wee bit obsessed?

For me, at this moment, Wednesday, 2009, I am completely and utterly captivated by a new bread recipe.

As I'm sure I've mentioned before, baking bread is one of my favorite activities - truly, nothing can match the unparalleled joys accompanying an afternoon spent coaxing humble dough into something magical - homemade bread.

A few nights ago Zach very kindly offered to cook supper, so while he was roasting green beans and concocting a marinade, I was free to leisurely contemplate a new bread recipe. Inspired by the delicious concept of Steph's kitchen sink muffins, I started floating dreamily between pantry and dough bowl, sprinkling in a bit of whatever caught my fancy. I envisioned densely seeded dinner rolls that would morph seamlessly into breakfast buns in the morning, ready for the toaster and a bit of cream cheese...

And oh, the results... Nutty, chewy, dense but light at the same time, a bit crispy on the outside when toasted, filled with the heady flavors of nuts, seeds, wheat bran, and just a hint of the lager I used as a rising agent...

I'm completely, totally, entirely obsessed. I think I'm going to make another batch today...

Nut and Seed Breakfast Rolls

(Note: this recipe makes a very great quantity of batter - I baked half the first night popped the rest into the fridge, and baked the rest two nights later!)

1 cup whole wheat flour
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 cups wheat bran
1/8 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 (12 oz) bottle of beer (I used a light, crisp lager... a summer ale would be lovely too, I think...)
1 1/4 cups low fat milk or soymilk (for the vegan version!)
1 T lemon juice

~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
~ Stir together all the dry ingredients in a very large bowl.
~ Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the beer, milk or soymilk, and lemon juice, and stir everything together until a thick batter forms.
~ Using an ice cream scoop, dollop generous scoops onto the baking sheet. Very gently, press each scoop of dough out into a circle, using the tines of a fork.
~ Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
~ To serve, slice each roll in half horizontally, lightly toast each side in a toaster or toaster oven, and spread with butter, vegan marg, cream cheese, or jam...