Did you see Sarah Palin's little daughter licking her hand and slicking down the hair of her tiny baby brother as she held him during her mom's speech? It was cute.

I am adding this bread recipe to the two I put up here yesterday. I am thinking too about what Molly Ivins might be saying, if only she were here to say what I might like to hear said, if it could be said here in the now.

My mom has a recipe card dated June 28, 2004, but no other attribution for this recipe that we made today. It was so outstandingly good from the oven it shocked me.

Cornbread Rolls
(nothing of these remind me of cornbread so it's a lousy name)

1 cup corn meal
2 cups warm water ( 110-115 degrees)
1 1/4 ounces dry yeast ( one envelope dry)
4 1/4th cups ( about) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds ( we used salted)
additional olive oil

Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Grind cornmeal in blender, scraping sides of blender often until cornmeal has flour like texture ( important) . Mix 2 cups warm water and yeast in large bowl. Let stand until yeast dissolves about 10 minutes. Add cornmeal flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, oil and salt. Stir to blend. Stir in 2 cups all-purpose flour. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all purpose flour on board. Sprinkle sunflower seeds onto dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more all-purpose flour if stcky, about 8 minutes. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Shape into balls. Arrange on baking sheets, 3 inches apart. With scissors snip X pattern on each roll.

Let dough rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. ( or more)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush until rolls are brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 20 minutes.