I too was a kneader, but now I have a bread machine. When I was a girl my mother made bread in a bread pail with a crank. The kids had to crank. The recipe called for 12 cups of flour. I too made bread with a bread pail for many years. Now I use a bread machine. I can start one batch of dough, take it out to finish and start another batch. It also works for large amounts. I too am amazed at all the possible bread machine recipes, so I think cooks are being very creative with their bread machines. The machine just does the work.