Welcome!

Our food blog is dedicated to sharing our favorite rustic recipes, passed down through generations and perfected over time. But we don’t stop at just sharing recipes – we want to invite you into our world of cooking through our cooking masterclasses and VIP private dinners.

From the first chop to the final taste, we believe that cooking should be an enjoyable experience filled with laughter, stories, and love. So grab an apron, pull up a chair, and let’s cook up something amazing together.

Your New Favorite Dinners

Go-To Destination For Daily Inspiration
  • Seared Baked Salmon with Tomato Bruschetta & Creamy Parmesan Polenta | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 9
  • Cozy, Creamy Mushroom Cavatelli Pasta | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 8
  • Ground American Lamb Harvest Bowl for Meal Prep
  • Herbed American Lamb Meatballs | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 7 
  • Pasta Fagioli 
    Pasta Fagioli | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 6
  • Cozy, Comfy, French, and Perfect for Fall: Beef Bourguignon!  

Easy Desserts

Inspiration For Effortless Treats
  • Easy Double Layer Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting and Spooky Marshmallow Spider Webs + an Apple Cider French 75 Cocktail
  • Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Never Forget
  • The Softest Yellow Cake with Granny Thora's Fudge Frosting
    The Softest Yellow Cake with Granny Thora’s Fudge Frosting | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 4
  • Rhubarb Galette & Rhubarb Cordial | The RUSTIC JOYFUL FOOD Show | Season 1 – Episode 3

Dressings And Vinaigrettes

You Need To Try
  • Ground American Lamb Harvest Bowl for Meal Prep
  • Spring Asparagus & Potato Orzo Salad
  • This Wood-Fired Lamb Sandwich with Herby Pesto & Burrata Will Light Up Your Summer!
  • Chicken Salad on The Kelly Clarkson Show

Bevvies

For Everyone
  • Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita Batch Cocktail 
  • Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita Batch Cocktail 

My Books Collection

It’s my hope that you will find something to love within these pages―that one of my recipes will become your own memorized specialty.

I believe that when heart, soul, and creativity are interjected into a recipe, no two people will ever make it the same. Every meal is uniquely yours.

Yet, I believe, these books will guide and inspire you to get started.

Rustic Joyful Food: Meant to Share

“Like me, Danielle Kartes realizes that food is the great connector―a conduit to bring people together around the table and create new memories.”―Rachael Ray

Rustic Joyful Food: Generations (2nd Edition)

Rustic Joyful Food: Generations is a thoughtful look at family-driven comfort food – heirloom recipes that have been handed down. The recipes within these pages tell a story of a simpler time and well-worn hands.

My Very First Cookbook

Family time in the kitchen is special. Celebrate all the joyful moments in the kitchen with your little chef with this adorable keepsake cookbook!

You Were Always There

With this book, drawing from her own life-changing disasters and surprising blessings, former restaurateur and up-and-coming cooking maven Danielle Kartes serves up perfectly portioned stories to remind us we are never truly lost.

Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table

This book showcases rising Seattle food star Danielle Kartes’s uniquely homey and delicious recipes, contains heartfelt stories from the former restaurateur, and reinforces the message that life, regardless of the challenges, is good right now, no matter what.

A Recipe for How Much I Miss You

The perfect “I miss you” gift for faraway or traveling family members, A Recipe for How Much I Miss You is a simple and sweet way to celebrate love and reassure the toddler or child in your life that unconditional love never fades, no matter the distance. Perfect for your family library, and storytimes. 

Workshops & Private Events

Danielle and Michael Kartes are offering variety of services, ranging from Writing a Cookbook about Food Styling, Method, and Photography to Private Cooking Class/Private Dinner, and more!

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