Bread...nothing else to add.

I belive that the secret to feel like home where ever you go is to have the bread you know and you like. The right slice really can cut the distance to home at least in half!
Happened to me, I'm not a big bread eater, but that's the part of everyday's food I miss the most.
The comfort of having a fresh loaf of bread every morning, still warm and fragrant with golden, crunchy crust  is really priceless.
I really like all kinds of dark breads, because of their unique taste and texture.
Back home I eat almost only whole wheat or whole grain bread, but not the prepackaged thing or some dry
 '' vasa'',  God forbids! We have several different bakeries around there and each one has special kind to offer, from golden one with honey and sunflower seeds to a dark and crusty that is sold in meters. (Yes, you can ask for half a meter of bread!!!) I swear it can stay fresh for days and days and taste delicious!
Or the alpine bread that is dark but soft with that whole grain taste to it. MmMmmMmmmmmmmmmmm
Dark or white they are all delicious, fresh baked and homey.

And now back to my reality here in States: prepackage, presliced, prebaked, spongy, soft, artificially blown bread all warped up in plastic. Bakeries that don't smell like fresh baked bread, back at home I can smell the bakery from 3 blocks away!!!
Surely, you can find good bread around U.S.A, but you have to look for it.  Bread is a staple, shouldn't be a luxury. Should be daily fresh and nutritious, not packed with sugar artificial flavors and preservatives.

Long story short I decided to bake my own bread. Recipe is actually hungarian, traveled long way to get into my hands and I modified it a bit. It's what you would call a sour-dough bread. It's easy to bake, takes some time to make it but is totally worth it. Crusty on the outside, nice and soft on the inside, smells like heaven. Ideal to add any kinds of herbs or seeds.

you need:
2 big bowls
1 cup
pastry brush
rectangle bread baking pan (not necessary)
clean kitchen cloth

ingredients:
2 cups bread flour plus some for the surface ( can be whole wheat )
1 packet of instant dry yeast (7g, 1/4 oz) or 15 g, about 0,5 oz of fresh yeast
1 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
splash of milk (about 2 tablespoons)
1-2 tablespoon poppy seeds or sesame seeds or flax seeds
cooking spray or a teaspoon of oil or butter
1 egg

The procedure of making this bread is very easy, you need to follow few steps. After making several breads you wont even need any measurements, you will eyeball it.
Into a big bowl or a kitchen robot add bread flour and salt, you do not have to sift it, of course do it if you want. Warm up a cup of water, do not use a boiling water that would kill the yeast! The water has to be cooler than 140° F which is 60° C, generally I dip my clean finger in the water to check, must be barely warm not hot or even close to hot. Better colder than hotter! Add sugar stir it in, add a splash of milk and yeast. Stir the mixture very good and leave it to rest for 5-7 minutes. The warm water will activate the yeast and the sugar and milk will give them food to grow :)
When the yeast are ready slowly add the liquid to the flour. I personally use the kitchen aid robot with the dough hook attachment, which is perfect for the first stage.

What you need to remember is that the dough  shouldn't be dry or to sticky. If you have to much flour add a bit of water (can be cold), if its to sticky add a bit of flour to adjust. If u decided to add any additional seeds or herbs (use dry herbs), you should add them right after dough starts to come together. My favorite is with poppy seeds or sesame seeds or dried tomatoes and oregano.
Knead the dough for at least 10-15 minutes. Everybody has their own way of kneading, I use the bottom part of my hand to press and the fingers to move it around and stretch it out a bit each time.

Ready to rise dough shouldn't be sticky, but soft and fluffy in touch and smooth.

Transfer the dough into a pre-greased big bowl (I use baking spray, but olive oil is perfect as well) cover with a damp, clean kitchen cloth and let it raise in a warm dark place.

Leave it for 2 hrs. (nothing will happen if you will leave it for longer or a bit shorter just make sure the dough double or triple in size.)

After 2 hrs. take the dough out on the floured surface and knead it good for 7-10 minutes. You really need to work the hell out this dough hahahaha, stretch it, pull it, slam it, knead it!! Then put it back into the bowl cover with the cloth and let it raise again for another 2 hrs or so.

After the time is up and your dough grew up, knead it again for 7-10 minutes. This time place it in the pre-greased baking pan, if you use baking sheet just form a nice round loaf shape, cover it and let it raise again for 30-40 minutes.

Pre-heat your oven to 400°F - 180°C.  Cut your dough with a sharp knife making a cross cut if you have round shaped loaf or few cuts across if you have a rectangular loaf. That will help the bread to bake and raise evenly in the oven.
Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds you used inside the dough or if u make it plain you can sprinkle with sea salt or any kind of seeds you like.

Bake it for 30-35 minutes at 400°F - 180°C.
Store it in a paper bag or a bread container.
When is done leave it to cool down a little bit. It's perfect to eat anyway you like it!

                                              with sesame seeds                                                                           

with poppy seeds

with sun dried tomatoes and oregano