Recipe developer Danielle Kartes (Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart's Table) credits her mother for teaching her how to cook and feed people. Butter, gravy and apple pie were family staples for Kartes who, as a child, believed that "homemade wasn't trendy... it was just life." That philosophy is the cornerstone of a deliciously photographed collection of 125 recipes that showcases some of the memorable, simple comfort foods Kartes grew up with and still feeds her family: Beer-Battered Fish and Chips, Mom's Swiss Steak and the more complex Wine-and-Tomato-Braised Short Ribs over Parmesan Cauliflower Mash. A wide range of recipes--savory soups and stews, breakfast ideas, veggies and sides, snacks, drinks and "emotional support" sweets, including an irresistible mug cake and her grandmother's Applesauce Bundt Cake--will nourish palates and lift spirits. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines