When self-taught cook Danielle Kartes decided to open a restaurant, she dove in headfirst. But after a few years of whirlwind success, she found herself pregnant, on bed rest, and losing nearly everything as her beloved restaurant spiraled out of business.

Devastated, Danielle vowed never to cook again. But as her young family grew, she remembered the reason she loved cooking in the first place and got back to her roots of sharing food with the people she loved. Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table brings readers into Danielle’s family kitchen and showcases her belief that simple, delicious food is nothing more or less than a conduit for love.