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The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast
1KHO 741: To Feed Someone Is to Love Them | Danielle Kartes, Next Level Chef
01:02:53
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- [00:01]
Jenny Urch
Spring has a way of filling up the calendar quickly. Field trips, sports, travel, co op, which are all good things, but they can make it challenging to keep curriculum learning consistent. March is really about maintaining momentum while life gets busy. That's why having a flexible, organized learning tool can make such a difference in the final stretch of the homeschool year. IXL is designed to fit into your routine, not complicated. IXL is an award winning online learning platform offering interactive practice in math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. It adapts to each child's level, keeps them motivated, and gives parents clear visibility into progress. What I especially appreciate this time of year is how simple and time saving it is. Everything is organized by grade and subject, so you can jump right into exactly what your child needs. Whether that's reinforcing a concept before testing or confidently moving ahead. The clear explanations and visible progress markers help kids stay encouraged as they work toward year end goals. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and 1000 Hours outside. Listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl ixl.com 1000hours Visit ixl.com 1000hours to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Okay, can we go? Are we ready?
- [01:15]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah, let's go. Let's do it.
- [01:16]
Jenny Urch
Okay. Welcome to the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. My name is Jenny Urch. I'm the founder of 1000 Hours Outside and Danielle Cardiff is back. And look at over the past. I don't know how long it's been, maybe less than a year. I have become a super fan.
- [01:29]
Danielle Cardiff
That's my girl.
- [01:30]
Jenny Urch
I'm holding about 15 pounds of cookbooks right here.
- [01:34]
Danielle Cardiff
I need a picture of this.
- [01:35]
Jenny Urch
Here we go.
- [01:36]
Danielle Cardiff
We go. That. Back up Jenny Yur holding all my books. Listen guys, dreams come true and I love it.
- [01:42]
Jenny Urch
You got another memoir coming out, the newest book that you have coming and I love it. So our youngest is nine and we. She has love these cookbooks. She loves all the jokes in them. She texts them to the. She uses my phone. She'll text them to the grandparents and they've been telling jokes back and forth. But what you have are these. My first baking books, my first cookbook. But I kind of love it because like what if you didn't really learn how to cook yourself? So I'm like, oh, I'm gonna get to learn all the things too.
- [02:11]
Danielle Cardiff
That's the, that's the secret sauce right there. The coolest part about this is I actually have some friends that live in la, and she was my producer for so many years on the Kelly Clarkson show. And she tells me all the time. She's like, I think I've told. I've shared this with you before. She's like, listen, I'm the worst cook. I buy your kids cookbooks so that I can learn fundamentals and actually learn recipes that are simple and delicious. And it's not just like chicken nug nuggets and butter noodles. It's real. It's real food.
- [02:38]
Jenny Urch
Yeah, you didn't tell me that before, but I agree. And I think that's so fun. Like, you learn alongside your kids, and if. And if you already know what to do, then this is a special cookbook that's just for them. I have, I think, every single one except for the grandparents ones. So there's like a mom and me cooking together, dad and me, fun in the kitchen, Little Chef. I've got the. The ones for the adults. And then obviously, I have your memoir. And I also have the best kids cookbook. But you know what I was thinking? I am in my grandma era, where my friends are having grandkids. This is just now starting, and I've always been like, oh, I would love to get them a small little gift. You know, I'm like, I don't want it to be a picture frame. So this is the. This is the idea, right, to get my friend Missy, who just had her first grandbaby, a little Grandma and me cookbook. Wouldn't that be the cutest ever?
- [03:24]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, it's so cute. And they're so good for Easter baskets, too. And the thing that I love, like, this is what I tell people all the time. Like, I just want you to cook with your kids. I don't want it to be perfect. I don't want you to feel like it has to be perfection. You don't have to have the nicest of everything. You just have to get together. And the neatest part about this book is I remember growing up and not having certain ingredients. Like, we were poor when I was a kid, and if you didn't have certain things or there was a recipe, or I would watch the Food Network or the Galloping Gourmet or literally, there was a. There was a guy on Channel nine, Graham Care, where I first learned, like, watching him on pbs, and we wouldn't have certain ingredients. So. So it's been my life's journey to share with people. Hey, a recipe's a guideline. If you don't Have a certain item, you look through your pantry. What do you have? So you're going to find in all of my books, there's swap outs. But it comes from a really deep well of not having things. And I never want someone to feel like, oh, my gosh, I wish I had hamburger, but it's too expensive. So we're doing ground pork or we. That's all I have. So I can't make this recipe. You can swap out what you have, and that helps children especially, Especially kids that are develop. I mean, we're always developing from the time we're born until we go home to be with Jesus. But that developmental age, when you're like 4 years old, 5 years old, you're learning those problem solving skills. You can say, oh, I don't have this, but what do I have? I don't have BlackBerry jam. Do I have any other jam? Do we have any fruit that I can mash up? So it really gives kids thinking. And it's so special to me because I'm like, hey, just because it says it in the book doesn't mean you can't use a different ground meat. Doesn't mean you can't swap a chicken thigh for a steak. I want people to think that way. And I think it's so special. That's what trains us how to cook.
- [05:08]
Jenny Urch
What a life lesson. I read it in a book, and I can never remember what book it was, but they said one of the biggest lessons that you can teach your kids is to learn to make do with what they have.
- [05:17]
Danielle Cardiff
Yes, that's it. That's the guiding principle. And that's the whole thing behind rustic, joyful food is like, start right now where you are with what you have. Start with what you have. And that's how we started. We started with nothing. Zero connections, Zero anybody. A lot of people are like, oh, it's easier for you. You work on tv or what's Kelly like? And I'm like, yeah, she's wonderful. But I didn't start that way and start knowing anybody.
- [05:41]
Jenny Urch
Yes, yes, yes. You had to make all your own connections and you had to self publish your book. And you had so many. We've talked about this before, but so many pits, so many really, really hard spots. So this brand new cookbook, and I totally agree, any of these would be great for Easter baskets. Are you kidding me? Dad and me, fun in the kitchen. Your kids would be thrilled. Mom and me cooking together, they're little. They'll fill it right in Easter basket. The new one. Oh, it's so beautiful. My first. My very first B baking book. My very first cookbook. Joyful recipes to make together. So let's talk a little bit about this baking book. One of the things that was in there was peanut butter and jelly. What was it? I was like, this is so great. Peanut butter cupcakes with grape jelly buttercream. Never heard of it. And how fun.
- [06:26]
Danielle Cardiff
Okay. It's so cute. And this is the thing. Jam is literally just sugar on sugar on sugar. There's a hint of fruit in it. But I'm like, I bet you if you just whipped jelly into your buttercream, it would be delicious. And so I did it. It was good. That would be so good. So took my basic buttercream, pop some jam into it, and that gets you thinking too. Like, most of my recipes are happy accidents. Most of my recipes are. What do I have? What am I going to make? This was delicious. Now I want to write it down so I can replicate it. And then the peanut butter cake. How fun is that? And if you're not into, like, the peanut butter jelly combo, do peanut butter cream cheese. Do chocolate frosting with peanut butter cake. I mean, it's, like, dense. You know, when you eat a peanut butter cookie, it's like it fills your mouth up. You definite need a cup of milk. That's the same way that this cake is in the best way. Not, like, too dry, but it's like, it's got this good texture because peanut butter is just fat. So you think about it, you're making a cake with butter anyways, and that's all fat and a little bit of water. And peanut butter is the same way. It's very dense. And so I always think in those terms, like, what can I swap out? If a cake recipe needs, you know, 2 parts fat, 1 part flour, 2 parts milk, all these things, you can basically get your way through things, and that's how you create recipes. Like, if I swap that one part fat out for peanut butter or almond butter or olive oil, what fat do I have that I can use? And that's what I want people to know. These principles beyond just the recipe calls for this. Well, why are we doing it? Like, even in school, I'm always like, why am I doing this? Why do we do this? That's served me so well in baking, because I want to make sure. And I'm not a classic or a trained baker at all. You got to remember, I never went to culinary school. I just like trial and error and figuring out why something works well, why do we do it that way? Well, just because the recipe calls for one cup of butter. What does that mean? And then even getting more technical into it, all butter is not created the same because some butter is 80% fat, 20% water. So that little chemistry portion. So if you're buying really great Irish butter, you're up into that 90% fat, 10 water. And then if you're getting French butter, I mean, same thing, you could be 100 fat. So there's so many fun things to learn and teach your kids. And I'm teaching my kids that too. I'm like, well, what do we have? What do we have? What do you want to do? How do you want to do this? And some stuff fails miserably, and that's part of it. That didn't work. Exit off the, you know, the little back to the drawing board. We're tiny scientists.
- [08:52]
Jenny Urch
Yeah. Yes. I love it. I love it. And at the back of each of these kids books are places for them to put in their own recipes. Yeah. So you're modeling that for them. Come up with your own ideas. So there are all of these options. This one's got the baking book has emoji cupcakes. And you talked about the emoji cupcake
- [09:08]
Danielle Cardiff
is everyone's favorite emoji. It's the poop emoji, the vanilla cake with the little poop swirl. And I have boys, so I know that the girl moms are going to be like, but the boy moms are like, yeah, poop on a cupcake. That's my, my, my. He's. He's going to be nine this summer. My eight year old he today, he was l on the way to school and he was like, poopy butt, poopy butt. And I was like, oh, no, knock it off. And then I'm like, this is just really age appropriate. Don't say it when you get to school. Okay. Don't just get out. When kids go to this sweet little private school. And I'm like, just please don't tell your friends, but they do talk about poop at school. Yeah. Yes.
- [09:42]
Jenny Urch
Is what you do when you're eight years old and you're a boy and probably a girl too. So you've got Granny's old Fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies. And you wrote, okay, okay. I know that raisins and cookies might not be every kid's idea of a good time, but, you know, just a lot of, just all the baking, you know, you want to, you want to get your first baking book. It's adorable and like I said, filled with all these jokes. The illustrations are fantastic. A bunch of options for no churn ice cream.
- [10:06]
Danielle Cardiff
And it's just the no churn ice cream is super cool too because it's whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk. And then it's literally choose your own adventure. So there's five or six varieties in here, but people don't know, like, oh my gosh, you don't have to have any special equipment to make ice cream. Like you might think, oh, we can't skip the ice cream section. We don't have an ice cream maker. You got to heat the milk, you got to make the custard. I this is basic. You're adding the fluff in the air with the whipped cream. That's what makes ice cream so airy. It's all that whipping against the ice and old fashioned. A lot of people don't know this, but old fashioned ice cream is literally just ice blocks of ice inside like a wooden churn. And you just took turns churning and then you put salt all around the edge so that it would melt the ice and you would be making your ice cream in the center. And so it's kind of that same concept. But we're adding the air to the whipped cream, folding in all of our fun stuff and then you freeze it and it scoops out like Baskin Robbins. I mean, it's just so fun.
- [11:00]
Jenny Urch
I love it. I love it. What a thing. You know, in a day and agent everything is so screen heavy. You can do all of this hands on stuff, all of these hands on things every day. You know, whenever we do meals together, my especially the youngest mommy, we get to cook together. I mean love, they love it, they love it. They never don't love it in all the way through the childhood. So no matter if you are a parent who is a pro, but you just want to have your kid have something special that's for them, that's their own cookbook. Or if you're kind of like me and you're like, I know nothing. So I'm just gonna learn right alongside my kids. These are fantastic. I think it's pretty rare for someone to have so many adult cookbooks and then also so many cookbooks that are just geared for kids, it's for kids.
- [11:44]
Danielle Cardiff
You know, that feels like a really big blessing. When I went, when I first started working with, with this publisher that put out this book, I with sourcebooks, I had the most incredible editor. Her name is Kelly, Kelly Barella. Sa She's. I'll just put her little plug out there. She's just a genius. And she's actually the one that came to me with this concept. She's like, you know what? I have a concept, and I think it would be a really good fit for it because I didn't have designs in the beginning of my life. Like, I'm going to write children's books, but I have kids. We cook together. I'm going to like, why wouldn't I be setting you up at the tiniest time possible, three and four years old, like, getting you introduced in the kitchen? Because it's what I'm doing with my kids. And so this concept kind of took off, and then with the first one, this guy's like a bestseller. We sold over, like, 150,000 copies of this one.
- [12:27]
Jenny Urch
Stop it.
- [12:28]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah, no joke. This little guy's in bestseller territory. Yeah, same thing. So when we came up. So when we came up with the baking book, it was like this natural transition. Like, we got to do this. And I'll share something really funny with you. I was against a deadline, and I had the flu so badly. And I remember, like, working through the night, like, writing the recipes and refining recipes, and there were so many recipes that we just needed a manuscript to get there. And I'm like, we'll edit it later. We'll do the testing later. I got to get the manuscript in by the deadline, and I remember her writing back to me and say, hey, I don't know when you wrote this or where you wrote it, but almost none of it is spelled properly. It is so messy. And. But I had a fever of, like, 105. And when I opened back up the things that I sent her, it was like the weird fever dream. This is probably the weirdest story for people. But I ended up having to go back to square one to rewrite the manuscript. And then we started testing. But I always think of this, like, this is the little book that could. When we first. When we first started it, I wrote it with a fever. Wow.
- [13:29]
Jenny Urch
150,000 copies. That is just wild. And it just goes to show, though, there is a huge market for this. People are wanting to do things with their hands. When you work with your hands, it releases the dopamine in your brain. It's called the effort driven reward cycle. Kelly Lambert talks about. It helps to relieve depression. And this is what we need to be doing. Instead of taking film off of something and putting it in the microwave, you need to be dropping the things yourself and stirring the things yourself and creating it yourself and then having that final product to show. We did a meal just the other night and our oldest, I, he was helping 17 and he took a picture of it when it was done, you know, because they're proud.
- [14:05]
Danielle Cardiff
They're so proud, they also eat more. Do you know that when my kids help, and this wasn't always the case like, but when my kids start helping, they actually eat what we made way more than if I just put something in front of them and said, take a bite of your vegetable. Take a bite of this. You got to have two bites before you get down to the off the table. Like, they are so much more interested in what we're eating when they help. Like, Milo will try just about anything right now. And I'm so grateful for that because he's 8 years old and he's like, I'll have a bite. Can I spit it out? I'm like, you can absolutely spit it out. Absolutely. You can spit it out. And sometimes parents are like, oh, I would never. And my kid has to have this many bites before they get up. But guess what? My kids eat almost everything now because they have that option if you don't like it, if it's kind of weird, get through it. And sometimes I'm literally trying to muscle him through it. My 14 year old doesn't fit anything out. He's a man now. He's like 6ft tall and he's basically, basically just a dude. I always tease, like, Noah could literally go off and have his own household now. He's just that independent and stable, which I'm so grateful for. But I always let him spit stuff out. I'm like, you don't want to eat it, you don't have to eat it. But I kept presenting it and I didn't change how we were cooking because based off of my kids taste buds, that's a really easy thing to do. As moms, we're like, oh my gosh, my kids won't eat broccoli. I just stopped buying broccoli. My kids won't eat curry. I just stopped making it. I love coconut milk and spices. Well, if your kids mimic what you do. And every single morning when we're driving, we turn praise and worship on and they're like, we want to listen to other music. I'm like, no, guess what? But you teach kids what to do and then that's the first thing that they're going for. My kids love curry now, but they would cry when I made it when they were kids, it's too strong. It smells too spicy. Are we having this for dinner? And then now they're like, oh, could you make, could you make curry? My little guy loves shrimp and salmon, but I never stopped eating it. And so I feel like we stop as moms sometimes eating the food that we love and our kids start mimicking us. So just keep up the good habits. Keep eating the food that you love. Keep making. And I'll have nights, too. My husband hates rosemary. He doesn't really care for most fish. I still make it, he still eats it. And it's like, oh, you know, we don't stop making stuff just because the household doesn't like it. I'm the one cooking.
- [16:17]
Jenny Urch
Yeah. And like you said, when you involve them, then they're more likely. And they're so proud. The start of a new season always makes me look around and think, how can this house function better? Not fancier, just better. And honestly, Wayfair has become my go to. When we're ready to level up a space without overspending, we tackled organization first, like closet systems, garage storage, and shelving. For a work from home setup that was slowly being overtaken by stacks of books, Wayfair's filters make it incredibly easy to narrow by dimensions, finish, and budget. I could compare pieces side by side, read reviews, and feel confident before clicking order. Then we layered in a few lighter touches for spring, like updated bedding, simple decor, and a couple pieces for the patio so we're ready to be outside more. I love that you can find everything in one place, from big furniture upgrades to functional decor that actually solves a problem. Delivery was fast, assembly was straightforward, and there are even options if you want installation handled for you. It just feels streamlined. Find furniture, decor, and essentials that fit your unique style and budget. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y-F-A I R.com Wayfair Every style, Every home this is such a fun announcement to make. Womb Bikes is officially the 2026 bike partner of 1000 hours outside. And if you've been around here long enough, you know that's not a casual partnership. We care deeply about the tools that help families reclaim childhood, and Womb is doing exactly that. Womb is founded by 2Dads in a Vienna garage who simply couldn't find a bike that actually fit their kids, so they built one. And what makes room different is that they don't start with engineering. They start with empathy. Every part of the bike, from the lightweight frame to the brakes, sized perfectly for small hands, is designed to help kids feel capable and confident in a screen dominated world. Bikes are more than bikes. They are freedom. They are connection. They're miles of memories before the street lights come on. So this spring we're launching something brand new, the 100 Hour Ride Challenge. We'll release a brand new tracker chart just for logging 100 hours outside on bikes and for app members. Stay tuned. Integration inside the 1000 hours outside app is coming if you've got little learners. The Womb Go bikes are incredible. Available in six bright colors including the sweetest new powder pink that just feels like spring. If you are working toward your 1000 hours outside this year, a great bike makes it a whole lot easier. Womb designs lightweight bikes built just for kids so they can ride farther and ride happier. Go to woom.com and use code outside 10 at checkout for 10% off your bike purchase excluding the womb. Wow. That's outside 10 for 10% off@w.com these days I'm choosing quality over quantity, especially when it comes to clothes. If something doesn't fit well, hold up well and work with multiple outfits, I'm just not interested. That's why Quince has become such a favorite for me. The fabrics feel high end, the silhouettes are flattering, and the price actually reflects what you're getting. Quince makes wardrobe staples with premium fabrics like 100% European linen, 100% silk and organic cotton poplin. Their cotton cashmere sweaters are perfect for layering, and the new spring colors and prints make it easy to refresh your closet without overhauling it. They work directly with safe, ethical factories and cut out the middlemen so you're not paying for inflated retail markups, just well made clothing. And you can tell the linen pants don't wrinkle like every other linen pair I've owned. The poplin holds its shape. Everything feels intentional from the stitching to the fit. These are pieces that consistently get 4.5 to 5 star reviews because real people are wearing them every day and loving them. Stop waiting to build the wardrobe you actually want. You don't need more clothes and you just need better ones right now. Go to quince.com outside for free shipping and 365 day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will now available in Canada too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. Go to Q-U-I-N-C-E.com outside for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com outside you wrote, I took a couple notes out off of your cookbook, Rustic Joyful Food, My Heart's Table. It's like, kind of like the middle one, right? It wasn't the first one. It was like the middle one.
- [20:16]
Danielle Cardiff
My Heart's Table is the very first one. That's the first cookbook I ever wrote. The first one I ever wrote. That's when we lost the restaurant. I was, we were trying to start over. That was what gave birth to everything. Then came generations, then Meant to Share. And then Butterflower Sugar joy and the kids books sprinkled in between. And then the memoir. I mean, here we go. We're just going, going, going. Got a lot to say. Okay. Okay.
- [20:44]
Jenny Urch
So this is the first one. Rustic Joyful Food. And you said in Rustic Joyful Food, my Heart Hearts Table.
- [20:48]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [20:49]
Jenny Urch
Said to feed someone is to love them. And I thought, gosh, that's such a big statement because I would agree with that. You know, we. And you talked about how food was a part of so many, like, big moments of your life.
- [21:00]
Danielle Cardiff
Big.
- [21:00]
Jenny Urch
And like heartbreaks and joys and celebrations and conversations. And so it just goes to show you that you're really investing in your child if they learn how to cook.
- [21:11]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah, absolutely. And it's, it brings me so much joy to even watch Noah, who's 14 now. He loves to bake. He loves to make like raised dough, piroshki cheese filled with cheese, and hamburger, one of his favorite foods. He loves noodles. But watching him cook and then ask me questions, and I'm sort of like sitting in the living room. I'm not over his shoulder. I'm like, you got to learn and figure this out. Here's a great thing. My 8 year old last night made lemon bars and he made the lemon bars basically by himself out of this book. And he's like, well, what's it supposed to look like? And I didn't help. I was in the living room. Like, our kitchen is situated to where the living room is. Like, kind of looks at it. So I'm sitting on my couch, couch. And. And I'm like, what does it look like? Does it feel good? Is it mixed well? And so we baked the lemon bars, and the lemon bars ended up having like little spots of egg all over the top because they weren't mixed well enough. And I didn't correct it in the middle. I wanted to show him after. So we pull the lemon bars out. They have all these white dots on them. And he's like, they're ruined. I'm like, no, they're not ruined. That shows you that egg protein cooked, and so it hangs out on top. That's why we mix it really well. And so you want to mix it till you can't see the little clear globs, because when they hit the heat, eat. They turn white. So we just picked them all off and covered it in powdered sugar, none the wiser. Like, nobody cares. But those little lessons like that will stick with him further. That's how my brain works. I got to see why it happened. If I don't mix it well enough, then the little blobs of egg. I want to see no more egg when you're mixing the lemon bars. And so those little things. I know he wasn't disappointed. He was like, oh, it's ruined. I'm like, it's not ruined. We can salvage it. Let's. Let me show you what happened. So that kind of stuff is just really special to me. And I know that he'll take these little lessons, like, that's what it means to mix well. That and then he'll make them as gifts, too. I love that. Like, we're gonna bring some lemon bars over to my grandma, and she lives in a little adult facility, like a little. In home care. And it's so special. There's four other residents, and they're all in their 80s and 90s, and they just get so excited when the kids come. So we'll bring the lemon bars and enjoy her, and she'll be so excited. But this is. This is what it's all about. Like, you get to enjoy it. You get to share it with people. This is how you love on people. And all the little old people, some of them don't have people visiting them, so we get to love on all of them equally. When we bring our little treats and we come say hi to our grandma, we can say hi to all of them.
- [23:26]
Jenny Urch
Oh, to feed someone is to love them and learning to make do with what you have. You know, I didn't consider until you brought up that story, Danielle, that there are no photos in these books. These are illustrated cookbooks. My very first baking book. It's illustrated, like, cartoon characters. You know, it's real cute for kids. And the same with my very first cookbook. And actually, I wouldn't have thought about that. But when you have a cookbook and I'm like, these have love. The love most lovely pictures, you know, for an adult. But then you do sometimes have this feeling of like, oh, wait, Mine doesn't look like that picture. What a great idea to have it be illustrated so that they're not comparing. They just make their thing, and it is what it is. And there is so much joy and value, so much value in it. I love it. So this is the brand new one. You can get it now. If you're listening to this podcast, it is available. My very, very first baking book, Joyful Recipes to make Together, goes right alongside with my very first cookbook. Grab them both and then grab the smaller ones, the Little Chef ones that are mom and me cooking together and dad and me fun in the kitchen. Okay, let's talk about next level Chef.
- [24:27]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my God. Let's talk about it like we did it all. Buy the book, support my family. Get it for Easter. Get it for your church. Get it for your book clubs. Now, Gordon Ramsay, listen to me. This is insane. This is so fun.
- [24:40]
Jenny Urch
I have taken some copious notes. We have all watched it. Our whole family were all in. I'd never seen it before. I didn't understand the premise of, like, there's an. An elevator of food that's going up and there's all of these different levels. And my kids have said, every single time, mom, your friend cooks. Which is like, that's like what kids say when something. Someone's really good at something. It also means cooks. Yeah, they're like, your friend is cooking. They have never said one. They have all. I want to read the things that they've said about you, Danielle. Gordon says, I like Danielle. She's in the zone. And then Richard said, I can't keep it a secret. I'm looking at Danielle. I think Danielle should be on Team Blaze. And then Naisha said, we love Danielle. And then your salmon, your crispy skinned salmon with pharaoh and Romesco sauce. Gordon said that salmon, salmon cooked beautifully. And you were the first choice. You were the first choice for Naisha. And Gordon said, I'm not shocked when she picked you first. And then your scallop taco Baja style scallop taco with kale and mango salsa. Richard said, really tasty, really balanced. And Gordon said, smart way of using an unwanted leaf in a taco. And then you made pan seared halibut it ouzo broth, where you stole all the bones and the other person didn't get any of the bones. But it was worth it because they said, the broth is delicious. I think Gordon said, the broth is delicious. The fish is perfect. It was Gordon. Glistening, moist, super tasty. They have only rave reviewed you every Naisha said about your paprika marinated lamb chops and mashed cauliflower with an apple slaw. It has this rich, bold paprika flavor that's a little smoky and sweet at the same time. Time, but not burned. How have you only had. It has been. Not only has it only been positive, but it has been glowing positive.
- [26:34]
Danielle Cardiff
Yes. I gotta tell you, I was really nervous when the show was coming out. I'm like, what am I gonna look like?
- [26:39]
Jenny Urch
I.
- [26:39]
Danielle Cardiff
You never watch yourself cooking. You never, like, see what you're doing. I know the dishes that I made, but everything is so tight lipped. And you don't you see the feedback? And I'm like, how are they gonna cut this together? Like, what's gonna show up in the edit? And just to see this glowing edit, I feel like, like a million bucks. Like listening to Gordon Ramsay say, like, it's glistening, perfect fish. That is so special. He's like one of the greatest chefs in the world. Not just like this. He's not just a personality of all time. And for him to be eating my food saying that this is good, I. That makes me even teary eyed.
- [27:16]
Jenny Urch
But he's not just saying this is good.
- [27:19]
Danielle Cardiff
He is saying, beautiful. Yes.
- [27:23]
Jenny Urch
That salmon's cooked beautiful. He is saying, broth is delicious. Fish is perfect. Glistening, moist, super. I mean, there's just. What do my kids say? Glazing. That's what they say when someone just like going on and on.
- [27:37]
Danielle Cardiff
Amazing.
- [27:37]
Jenny Urch
Oh, I like, they're glazing your friend Danielle. You know,
- [27:42]
Danielle Cardiff
they're glazing your friend Danielle. Oh, my gosh. I love this. Wow.
- [27:46]
Jenny Urch
What a thing. It's just been a. It's just been a treat treat to watch you and to see you shine through that. So I want to talk about a couple. A couple things.
- [27:54]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [27:55]
Jenny Urch
So I wouldn't know what to do at all. Like, if some like, here's. Here's a platform of food on all these different levels. You're gonna have 20 minutes. I would be like, don't know. Where's the Kraft Mac and Cheese? You know, I have no idea what is going through your brain when that shows up. Because you can't even. Like, there's stuff on all different sides. So when you run up to it, like, you might want something that's on the other side.
- [28:19]
Danielle Cardiff
And I never made it to the other side. Listen, I am a larger lady, and I'm not super fast, so I was getting the platform last all the time. So I feel like I just had to be that much grittier and scrappier, because I'm kind of grabbing whatever protein's left. Like, it's not like, I get there, and I'm. And I'm kind of vying for the best protein amongst everybody. We're grabbing at the same time. I'm getting to the platform in the same spot. Every time, I kind of go to the closest right to me, I'm not running around the side of anything, and I'm just trying to grab what's right there. And you think of, okay, let me build a cohesive dish. You got to have a starch, a protein, a veg, and a sauce. What can I grab? That sort of starts to speak to me, and you build it. You got to get that hero protein first. So I grab a protein, and then you have to build all around it, and you're trying to get the big building blocks. And then I love fresh herbs, so if I could get any fresh herb or green onion or anything green, that's what I'm always going for. And then I always think, you got to have an allium, something in an onion family. So you got to get an onion, a chive, a garlic, like, something to build that flavor. And then there's. There's a pantry that you get to pull from the pantry, but it's limited. So you have seasonings, whole flour, milk, eggs, and butter always. And you're like, okay, off of all of this and the pantry, what. What can I make? And I'm telling you, it is not easy. And you really do fill me up. You only have 20 minutes. A lot of people have been asking me, okay, do they stop the clock? Like, what happens? Do you. Do you get to, like. Do you get 30 minutes to conceptualize? No, you don't. Everybody stops. You drop your ingredients. It's hands down, the timer starts. Everybody on every level starts at the same time. So you drop your ingredients at your platform, and they're like, hands up. Don't touch a thing. They come in, they write down the little things you got really quickly. The culinary team is out of there in a flash. We're talking 45 seconds, and they start that timer, and you go for 20 to 25 minutes. And they'll tell you. They don't tell you beforehand, but they'll tell you right as the timer starts. 25 minutes starts now. And that felt like a gift. So a couple times when I competed, I can remember hearing 25 minutes. I'm like, we get five extra minutes.
- [30:32]
Jenny Urch
I wondered about that. That was actually One of the questions I wrote down. What does the five minutes just feel like a mountain of extra time?
- [30:39]
Danielle Cardiff
It does, because if you think about it, five minutes goes by so fast, and you're thinking, okay, can I make pasta? Could I make a flatbread kit? What can I make? And you have to be so creative based off of what you're grabbing on this platform. And if you don't get something, you have to make it out of what you have. So if I didn't get a vegetable, it's like, sorry about it. You could be in the bottom. If your dish doesn't feel complete and cohesive, Sieve.
- [31:03]
Jenny Urch
It is wild. And they're plated so beautifully. You're like, how can somebody do this in 20 minutes? But what's so interesting that you just brought up Danielle is basically, it totally ties into your books because you're like, look, if I don't have this, I'm gonna. And it ties into your childhood, where you're like, look, I have to be a flexible person, and I don't have all the ingredients.
- [31:22]
Danielle Cardiff
Wow, that's special. To think about it like that.
- [31:25]
Jenny Urch
That's what you're showcasing to America. You say, I'm pretty pumped.
- [31:29]
Danielle Cardiff
Pumped.
- [31:29]
Jenny Urch
I know I can put that flavor palette together and show all of the home chefs in America. Look. Look what you can do.
- [31:35]
Danielle Cardiff
Wow.
- [31:36]
Jenny Urch
Danielle, what is it? Oh, I love it. Okay, so there's been the leftover challenge.
- [31:43]
Danielle Cardiff
The very.
- [31:44]
Jenny Urch
So you had told me before it aired, because I've been watching it with. We've been watching as a family. So you told me before it aired, you were like, it's gonna go like professional chefs and then social media chefs and then home chef. So you're like, I'm really not. Not. There's not really a focus on what I'm doing until episode three. But in episode one, you do. You know, they show you a couple times, and you. That was that when you go, don't push me, dude.
- [32:07]
Danielle Cardiff
Don't push me, dude. Listen, we get up to that platform, and some of those guys, like, I'm. I'm aggressive, but I'm also not going to elbow you. Like, you get in. You kind of get in where you fit in. And your arms. I'll keep my arms down low. Some of these guys are their elbows up while they're grabbing over you and shoving. And because they're. They're trying to get to better ingredients, because the ingredients that you pull that could make your make or break your dish. And so I remember being there pulling things, and I'm just getting shoved in the side and I yelling like, don't push me. And it definitely, it's. People aren't used to, especially a female, like, yelling like that, like, get back. It reminds me of, like, the Chris Farley skit from back in the day where he's like, I'm starving. But anyways, I don't know if you're. If you. This is the right.
- [32:55]
Jenny Urch
Oh, no. But I'll laugh anyway.
- [32:59]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my gosh. I love that. But that's what it kind of reminds me of. And then I love it when I'll be like, I was in the airport and somebody yelled, don't push me, dude. So I thought that was kind of funny.
- [33:09]
Jenny Urch
I love it. That was your first. That was like your first appearance on it was don't push me, dude. So, okay, so then episode three is. Is where you're. You're working your way up the levels from the bottom to the top, and they, they eliminate three people and you get to stay. You're the, the five that are left over. Maybe. They eliminate. Yeah, that's right.
- [33:28]
Danielle Cardiff
Eliminate three. Yes.
- [33:30]
Jenny Urch
Eight to five people. Yeah, that. Gordon says, I like Danielle. She's in the zone. That's where you made a dish out of canned salmon. Yep. Canned salmon, fried rice. And then, then you go up to the next level. You had to do three things in
- [33:42]
Danielle Cardiff
a row, in a row, and there's no time in between. You're literally just running and gunning like you are at the third level. Just being dripping sweat because we're, like starting it. And then you. There's a little bit of break. And then they ask you some questions and you go right back into it. And we're just going one level after the other. We were so dog tired that day. And you just, you just, you keep pushing and you know, our hairs. My hair was all sweaty. And it's funny, too, because not just the physical part of it, but the nervous part of it, I was like, I want to impress these people. I would just be dripping sweat before we even started. And I'm not even a sweater. I'm not a sweater. Okay, I'll get a little bit sweaty sometimes, but the amount of sweat that was just dripping off of me was so creepy.
- [34:28]
Jenny Urch
Every one of those first three recipes, though, they just glazed you. I mean, they so loved it. They loved it all three. Spring has a way of filling up the calendar quickly. Field trip, sports, travel co op, which are all good things, but they can make it challenging to keep curriculum learning consistent. March is really about maintaining momentum while life gets busy. That's why having a flexible, organized learning tool can make such a difference in the final stretch of the homeschool year. IXL is designed to fit into your routine, not complicated. IXL is an award winning online learning platform offering interactive practice in math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. It adapts to each child's level, keeps them motivated and gives parents clear visibility into progress. What I especially appreciate this time of year is how simple and time saving it is. Everything is organized by grade and subject so you can jump right into exactly what your child needs, whether that's reinforcing a concept before testing or confidently moving ahead. The clear explanations and visible progress markers help kids stay encouraged as they work toward year end goals make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and 1000 Hours Outside listeners can get an exclusive 20 off IXL membership membership when they sign up today at ixl.com 1000hours Visit ixl.com 1000hours to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price Every season I find myself wanting our home to breathe a little easier. Not a full renovation, just thoughtful updates that make the space work better for our real everyday life. That's why I love shopping at Wayfair. Our style leans warm and collected, a little modern, a little lived in. This spring we refreshed a few spaces, lighter bedding, a couple accent pieces in the living room, and some outdoor furniture to make our patio feel like an actual gathering space instead of just yard furniture. Wayfair made it so easy to narrow things down by style, size, price and I always read the reviews. Thousands of 5 star reviews make it feel less like guessing and more like choosing confidently. I also love how many functional pieces they carry. Storage solutions, shelving for work from home spaces, even options for assembly. If you don't want to DIY it, it feels seamless. From browsing to delivery, the pieces we ordered fit right into our rhythm. Beautiful but practical. And that's what I'm always after. Find furniture, decor and essentials that fit your unique style and budget. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home. So the bottom level is kind of like a jinky looking situation. And then you said it is broken everything.
- [37:00]
Danielle Cardiff
I thought that it was going to be kind of like fun, like funny for tv. Like there would be some broken things that would look kind of like, great for ratings.
- [37:07]
Jenny Urch
Oh, yeah. Like, it's.
- [37:09]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, yeah. It's staged. Because there's got to be real tools down there. No, everything down there is busted. All of the pans are bent, the handles, the tines of the fork are bent and open. Everything down there is broken. Mixing bowls, giant dents in the top of it. So you're trying to mix up things and whip eggs in stuff that is literally busted. Colanders that are split in the center. I was actually so shocked. I'm like, wait, it really is broken down here. It's broken. And then I remember one of the people asking me at some point in the show if I just hated being in the basement. I was like, no, I actually kind of like it. Want to be emotionally and mentally, you don't want to be in the basement. But I'm like, I can really make something out of nothing. And I felt like there's this almost this extra level, like, layer of challenge in there. Like, you know what? Like, I can show you I can do this. So I feel like whenever I was in the basement, I really pulled out out, really showed out. Showed out in the basement. Wow. Wow.
- [38:04]
Jenny Urch
Okay, so that's that one. And then you said the mid level one. It's like cooking for a crowd.
- [38:09]
Danielle Cardiff
Yes. A catering kitchen. Absolutely. So everything in that kitchen's large. So you got larger pots, industrial robocoos, and the blenders and things like that. Big, giant whisks. So that was a little. That posed a problem for some people who had never used anything large. But I cook for some crowds. And so I was like, oh, this is great. This is good. This is perfect if I'm putting on a dinner for 200. But definitely a little bit difficult for one portion.
- [38:34]
Jenny Urch
Yes. Okay, so that was episode three. Then episode four was where they picked teams, and that's where they. They totally highlighted you, where you're like, I have butterflies. This is like Hunger Games without the death part. And then you got picked first. Can you talk about being picked first? You say, I have never been number one pick for anything in my whole life. Life.
- [38:53]
Danielle Cardiff
You know what? I haven't ever been number one pick for anything. It's like, red rover, red rover. Like, please don't. I just don't want to be, like, new next to the last and being. And the greatest thing is, like, sometimes if you are picked last, like, that's wonderful. There's nothing wrong with it. But I was gearing up to be picked later. I'm serious. I'm like, I Feel like I'm one of the older people here I am. I'm not one of these young whippersnappers that, you know, buzz through culinary school. I have a family and a different sort of view on. On food. And I just didn't know. I'm like, did I. Was what I was cooking good enough to be picked in the first couple? I was. I was so happy. Like, lord, please just maybe top five, maybe like third or fourth or fifth. That's what I was praying for. I never imagined that I would be number one. And when they said my name and everyone's looking around, I was like, oh, oh, my goodness. I did really well. I did really well.
- [39:43]
Jenny Urch
And, you know, she said, my first choice is an easy one.
- [39:45]
Danielle Cardiff
One that made my heart. Your first choice is an easy one. And I was thinking it was anybody but me. When they said my name, I was like, wait, of all of those people, of all 15 of those talented people, to hear my name first was just. It was like a miracle.
- [40:01]
Jenny Urch
Yeah. Because it's 15 social media chefs and professional chefs. And she called yours first. And then Gordon said, I'm not shocked. He wasn't shocked. Okay, so let's talk about more Hunger Gamesy type stuff. So in Hunger Games, if you haven't seen it or read the podcast books, at the beginning, they. They have to run to the cornucopia and, like, grab all of their weapons. And so this is kind of similar. So can you talk about when you took the pharaoh from Diane?
- [40:24]
Danielle Cardiff
Yes. Listen, Diane is the sweetest woman too. And it's funny because our hands went on it basically at the same time, but her hand went on it just after mine. So it was this nanosecond of, like a split second. And that was the only way I could rationalize in my brain to just pulling it away from her and grabbing that pharaoh made all the difference in my dish because it grounded my dish. It gave me a starch. It. That creamy farro was so. And then when I made it, because I didn't get to taste it, you taste certain things that I didn't get a bite altogether. You're just thinking, I hope this works. You can taste your broth. You can slice off a little tiny bit of the protein if it's cooked separately, but you're really get. You only get a small portion. So I remember tasting the farro and tasting a Romesco, not tasting the salmon, but just knowing it was cooked well and thinking, okay, this is it. Like, I hope it works well. And the cool thing is to have them have that whole bite together. And love was so special. And then I've been making all the dishes at home, like, on my Instagram, so you get to see every week what I make. And when I made it, I was like, this is delicious. It's so good. I was so happy. I'm like, okay. Every single bite works. It all works in harmony with each other. And that's a great dish. And that recipe's on hand, the one website, which is great.
- [41:41]
Jenny Urch
Okay. I did not consider that. That. Yeah, no, you hadn't tasted it. You have no idea. Wow. You're serving a dish to Gordon Ramsay, and you don't know what it tastes.
- [41:50]
Danielle Cardiff
You just taste the components. You don't know what that whole full bite tastes like. You're like, that's gonna work. That's gonna work. That might not work. And then you're like, okay, here we go.
- [41:59]
Jenny Urch
Wow. Oh, my goodness. What. What an exciting thing. Okay, then another Hunger Games moment was when you took all the bones, and it was worth it because your broth was really delicious.
- [42:08]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my broth was beautiful. And I remember tasting that broth. It was so, like, unctuous and creamy. And, you know, if you go to a ramen place and you get, like, the creamy sort of pork broth, that's what it reminded me of, because I used all the bones. And it's funny because I remember yelling out, does it. Does anybody need anything? Does anybody need these? And nobody said anything. And I was like, okay, here we go. And I dropped them in the fryer because I wanted them to be nice and brown, because brown food equals flavor. Then I dropped them in my stock pot. And then when Emerson is calling out like, where's the bones? I was like, I took them all. And I'm like, well, you could go get back into the fish and get more, because the fish was massive.
- [42:45]
Jenny Urch
Right.
- [42:45]
Danielle Cardiff
But the ones that we filleted off,
- [42:48]
Jenny Urch
I was cooking with them, and it was worth it. I love it. So it's only been up until this point. We've only seen five episodes. I was thinking last night, like, as I was thinking about talking to you today, I was like, are there other things in life, life that you could have a big secret that people know you have a big secret? And I really couldn't think of anything else that was similar, except for if you possibly knew the gender of your baby but didn't tell anybody.
- [43:14]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [43:15]
Jenny Urch
Is there anything else like it? I mean, I. Yeah.
- [43:18]
Danielle Cardiff
Pregnant, getting a promotion. I mean, there's so many things that God asks us to be quiet over sometimes for everybody else. But, yeah, to know. Because I. We all know the. All the cast. We all know the outcome. Outcome. We all know what happened, but we don't talk about anything until that episode airs. And so, I mean, I could go home to, like, tonight's episode. I could go home. I could stay. We don't know.
- [43:41]
Jenny Urch
But, you know, you have this big secret that's so interesting. When it airs, how much of it do you remember?
- [43:47]
Danielle Cardiff
I remember it actually floods it all back to me. Like, watching it is like this funny little trigger where you're like, oh, I remember that because now, because it's been, you know, know, eight or nine months since we filmed. You. You remember whole things. And if. If you were to ask me every dish that I made, I had to write everything down beforehand. But I'll go back through my notes and see, like, oh, I did make that. Or in this episode, I made that. But it's hard to recall, like, oh, my goodness, what did I make for this next episode? What did I end up making? I had forgotten that I had that beautiful garnish on top of the halibut, and it was like. It's like pea shoots and. And onion, and I think, like, there's citrus in it, and it was so just beautiful. I forgot that I did that. I remember in my mind seeing the fish in the broth and the asparagus little plate underneath it, but I didn't remember the giant tangle of pea shoots on top. And then it just was like, oh, this is so fun to recall what you're doing. And then I feel like watching it back gives you this joy that wasn't in it while we were making it, because it's high pressure. You're trying to get through, and then you get judged. There's so many nerds, nerves. You don't remember the good parts. So what a blessing to be able to watch a show back for highlights and embarrassing parts, like where I barely remembered that I took all the bones. I didn't know that they were gonna highlight that. So you'll see, too. We got some spoiler trailers that we're not supposed to put out until today or tomorrow after the show airs. There are some things that happen in tonight's episode where I was. There's a tussle that happens, and I was like, I forgot. I completely forgot.
- [45:20]
Jenny Urch
Wow. Are there things that you. Are there. Is there anything that you can think of that that you hoped they would show but didn't you know that's hard
- [45:29]
Danielle Cardiff
to say because we're so early on in the season, but the one thing that I am grateful for, because I don't know what they're going to continue to show as long as they stay on the show, the one thing I'm grateful for is that I was really nervous I was going to come out looking like, like bumblebee or like I didn't know what I was doing. And I feel like the edit so far has been really complicated of how I cook. And it just has reassured my heart because I feel like when I left the show, you sort of question everything because you're under that microscope. And it's, it's Gordon Ramsay and Naisha Arrington and Richard Blaze, and they have an excellent standard that you want to meet. And so I felt, I felt myself like, really doubting, like, oh, gosh, maybe I, I, maybe I wasn't that good, or maybe it didn't turn out that well. And then to see the glowing afterwards, because you don't remember those things. You just remember the pressure. And I feel like it's such a neat lesson for life, too. Like, while we're pushing through it, we're forgetting all the good stuff happening in it. Because if you asked me at the end of that fish challenge if I did a good job, I probably would have cried. I think I probably did cry and say, I wish it was better. And I don't remember the beauty. And so to be able to go back and listen to them saying wonderful things, things your brain doesn't even hold on to the good. It just holds on to how you felt if it was, if it, if you didn't think it went well, but it went wonderful. Like, let's think about our whole life like that we, while we're in it, and there's pressure and you've got, you know, jobs and deadlines and parenting, and you want to make sure that your kids are okay and they can do well without you. And, you know, you're. There's so many things that were, were pulled as parents and mothers and then to just settle in and see the good stuff. Like, how cool is that? So I feel like this is inspiring me even now. Just like, at the end of my day, I want to jot down just the good things. Like, Lord, oh, how easy it is for me to spew out all the hard stuff. I woke up this morning, just to be transparent. I was crying a little bit on my husband's shoulder, and I'm like, I'm a little bit overwhelmed. I'm coming into a four day sprint. I'm flying to Chicago on Sunday. And. And then I was like, I could be looking at this so different. Like, I get to instead of, I have to, to like, look what God set out for us. My job is fluff. It's food and loving people. It's essential, but it's not life or death. But how beautiful to look at it differently and just, you know, recalling the things that they said in the show. I didn't put those in my spirit. I was just worried about if I did it okay. And I don't know. So it's just this full circle kind of moment happening for me. Listening to the great feedback and thinking about applying it to my life now. Now, like, slow down. Write down the good things that people said, the neat things that happened during the day.
- [48:03]
Jenny Urch
Yeah, I do have a friend whose mom said that. She said I just so like an adult friend, right? She's grown. And she said her mom was so down on herself. Like, I was just such a crappy mom. I wish I would have done better. And then she pulled out old family videos and she was like, oh, you know what? I actually was a really good mom. Wouldn't it be a thing if someone, someone, you know, eight months from now had made a sweet little highlight reel of the. You know, the times your eyes lit up when your child came in, when you, you know, when you kiss the boo boo. And you showed up at the game and you read them the story at night and the way they look at
- [48:36]
Danielle Cardiff
you, oh my gosh, I'm, I can relate to that. So hard. I'm super hard on myself as a mom. And I think about like, gosh, I wish I did it this way when Noah was 5. Or I wish I was a better mom. Or I, I was learning to control my temper in those early years. Like, I would fly off my the handle and yell so much. And I think about that. But then even yesterday, I'm picking them up from play practice and I'm like, I'm like, got McDonald's. It's like so bad for you. And I'm like, I missed you, Smooths. And I think about, like, I'm not reminding myself that I had McDonald's picking my son up and, and yelling out the window how bad I miss him. I think about, I really yelled at you so much when you were little and I was learning to be a mom.
- [49:14]
Jenny Urch
And what, and what an, what an opportunity. He's at play practice and his mom picks him up and she's Thrilled to see him. And, like, that's what the. You know, if someone can make a video, I'm like, that's what they would show and that's. That matters. It matters so much.
- [49:27]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my gosh. I just love talking to you. I'm like, wow, Just heal my little heart and soul. Just going through all this stuff is so good for me. Thank you, Jenny.
- [49:35]
Jenny Urch
Aren't there so many parallels? I just love it. I love it. Okay, I've got two more questions about Next level Chef. And then I wrote down some notes from the first, very, very first cookbook. Okay. Who do you watch it with? Like, what's happening?
- [49:47]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my gosh. So we go over to my mom. I don't have cake table, so we just. We have Hulu that streams the next day. But I can't wait. So we go to my mom and dad's house, and I normally always bring some kind of snack or dessert, so I'll make lemon bars. I did chocolate cake. So every single week we have something tasty to eat. So it's like after dinner. So you're gonna think like, snacky, crunchy, popcorny, or a treat. So I make something, I bring it over, and then we just watch it and we're all like, oh, quiet, quiet, quiet. Rewind it. Because they, you know, they do the little DVR thing where you can push it back a little bit and. And then like, did you hear that? Oh, he said this. So it's just like the most joyful, fun experience on Thursday nights. I love it.
- [50:28]
Jenny Urch
Who's there? Your sister?
- [50:30]
Danielle Cardiff
My sister's family, she has four kids, but they're basically grown, which is so cute. They're all teenagers, so they're all tower over us, all the boys, My family of four. Sometimes my brother's family will come, but he has little littles and that's bed time. So they'll do it sometimes. And then my. My mom and dad and we just watch it together. I didn't have a launch party or get together or anything. I just wanted to watch this with my little. My little core.
- [50:54]
Jenny Urch
I love that. What a special thing. Okay, last question about the show, then we'll move on.
- [50:58]
Danielle Cardiff
I love it.
- [50:59]
Jenny Urch
Has there been a dish that's come up? Because they'll be like, okay, this is like, cook something for someone that you love. That's your hero. Or this is going to be a taco one. I know there's only been a couple options. There was the sea monsters one. Has there been anyone that you've been. Been like I'm gonna nail that. Like, you knew immediately.
- [51:14]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, absolutely. There's a couple of challenges where I can't give away what they are yet because it's there in there in the future. But there is a challenge in particularly where I remember saying, this challenge is made for me, so not to give away too much, because I can't even say, like, if I make it on tonight's episode or not. But there is a challenge that comes up where I specifically said, there is. This is mine to lose. This is my challenge. Challenge up my alley. I got this. I'm gonna nail it. Yeah.
- [51:46]
Jenny Urch
You know, isn't it interesting? Like, it's really such a gift even then, for your extended family. Like, what a special thing then for them to have these memories. I remember when we talked last time that you were saying, you know, you have some doubt, like, should I do this? And, you know, am I even capable? And then, you know, you're gonna fly. Where was it? In Scotland?
- [52:04]
Danielle Cardiff
Ireland. Ireland. And I thought, I can't. Like, my husband and my older boy will be fine. But I was like, eight is, like, on the cusp. They're still little, and they're. But they're, like, getting all these adult mannerisms, and, like, they're independent. But 8 is still like, come in my room in the night, Or, I had a bad dream or, can you pray for me? Or let's snuggle. Like, though that's still such a tender age. And I'm like, my family comes first before any job or career. And so I just kept thinking, could. Would this be okay? And I really felt like the Lord said. Said, you're supposed to go, this is something that. This is a door I open for you. Walk through it. And my husband was so supportive. He's one of the reasons I did it. I remember Mike saying, why not? We're great. There's a phone call. You're just going to be a phone call away. Yeah. You're on opposite sides of the world, but go for it, babe. Like, we're going to be great. Like, bachelor pad is if. And, you know, on the earth, the earliest you could go home was around a week, and then you could be there for up to five days. Weeks. And so I was like, I'm. I'm intending on being there for the five weeks. Could I leave my family for five weeks? It was very difficult, but we made it. We did it.
- [53:09]
Jenny Urch
Oh. I always wondered on reality shows if you get sent home or if you stick around. So you would get sent home, but you don't know how long it's gonna be home.
- [53:16]
Danielle Cardiff
Yes. You don't know how long it's gonna be. So you kind of sign up for the whole thing. But you could go home between, you know, day seven and day day 31. So basically any time in between that there.
- [53:26]
Jenny Urch
And I didn't know if your family went or not, but they don't.
- [53:29]
Danielle Cardiff
No, they don't go. They didn't go. And we filmed six days a week, and then we had Sundays off, and we just hung out at the hotel or went to the grocery store to fill up our little hotel snacks.
- [53:40]
Jenny Urch
Wow, Danielle.
- [53:41]
Danielle Cardiff
Wow.
- [53:42]
Jenny Urch
I'm so glad that you said that, because. So something that's happened this year in particular, I recorded quite a bit of podcasts, and something that's come up, like, that's been a theme, is that people have had different prayers that they say that are like. They're like, oh, a couple of sentences. And I'm like, oh, that's really powerful. And I want to take that with me. And you said one in our last episode. And so I've actually. I've repeated it in several episodes because I just thought, oh, this is such a prayer. Here's a prayer. This is from your memoir.
- [54:06]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [54:06]
Jenny Urch
God, close every door we aren't meant to open. Please open doors no man can shut and protect my marriage and family.
- [54:14]
Danielle Cardiff
Amen. That's my prayer every day. Every day. And it's funny, too, because sometimes they'll be like, gosh, I really wish that this certain situation worked out. See, I was crying, so I know is super runny. Lord, I wish this would have worked out. Wish this were worked out. And then you think, oh, I prayed for it to close. I prayed for doors to shut. I prayed for stuff to end. And then here we're mourning the things that we prayed for. I'm like, oh, Lord, settle my heart, bind my. I saw somebody on Instagram the other day. It was a prayer. And she's like, you. We forget. Lord, bind my mind to the mind of Christ. Father God, in the. In this moment, remove every spirit of heaviness. That's Isaiah 61. Like, give me a garment of praise. Like, if we start enacting these prayers, they're so powerful. The Bible is our blueprint. It's like, okay, Lord, any single thing that we pray for, God answers prayers. And we think, oh, he's not listening to me. No, we're like little petulant children. He just didn't say what we wanted him to say. But that prayer was answered I don't think that God ever unanswers prayers ever in any situation. Yeah.
- [55:17]
Jenny Urch
All right, let's wrap it up here. So this is from the very, very beginning, the first cookbook. Now, you self published this. It's called Rustic Joyful Food, My Heart's Table. Your husband is one of the photographers, which is so cool. So this is this book right here. And I would love if you would share the soup story. So you wanted to serve soup. You weren't really supposed to, but then the owners of the restaurant left, so you were like, I'm going to serve the soup.
- [55:42]
Danielle Cardiff
This is so good. Okay. So I worked at this tiny little restaurant, and the soup story is so great because. Because I wanted so badly. I'm like, I could, I know I can cook. I, I and me and the other little gal that worked in the kitchen, we would sort of experiment for certain things. And I'm like, hey, guys. We had a warmer for mashed potatoes. And so on one of the days that the owners went out of town, I think they went on a cruise or something. So there was like seven full days. And I remember going to the grocery store and I'm like, I'm just going to pay for it with my own money because I want to serve soup so bad. And so I. We made butternut squash soup soup. And a lot of times people add cinnamon and a sweet element to it, but I added white wine and onions and cream, and it was so heavenly. The most delicious butternut squash soup I have ever had in my life. And we put a cream drizzle on top and then like little crunchy pumpkin seeds. And I remember thinking, I've arrived. I served it to people because it's our soup special. And I remember, like, making money off of it, too. Like, oh, my gosh, we made like 80. $60 or $80. It's been so long. This is literally 20, 25 years ago. And maybe not 25 years ago. I'm 44, so this is 20 years, 20ish years ago. And I remembered telling the owners, like, we made the soup. We made the soup. And it did well. They were like, that's not good. We don't have a permit for a soup. Well, you don't do soup, but sometimes you just have to take this risk and do it, even if it feels like you shouldn't be doing it. And walk through that door. Remind me of the end of that. Do I turn. Is that just the story? Or do I turn into something? Because I'm like, wait a second, I
- [57:15]
Jenny Urch
Want to read it?
- [57:15]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [57:16]
Jenny Urch
So you started to serve the soup. Now, this is actually after you've gotten fired from a different job at the bank.
- [57:22]
Danielle Cardiff
That's true. My dad used to say, every good, every person worth their salt's been fired from a job. Not four, but, you know, I was just really struggling.
- [57:31]
Jenny Urch
Okay, so the bank doesn't work out, but you're like, I've got bills to pay. So you go work at this restaurant and you say, watching the way people responded to my cooking was life gifted. Giving my soup, they said tasted different from anything they tried and was simply wonderful. This response made an impact on me and taught me that sometimes in life, it's important that we move against the grain. If not for this soup, if not for the butternut squash soup and bending the rules, who knows if I would have been able to venture out into the food world? God had planted this tiny seed that's 100% true.
- [58:05]
Danielle Cardiff
Oh, my gosh. I love. You know what's so funny? I love how how the Lord uses how I write to convey his heart. Like, I love. I want people to read that and think, oh, my. I want them to see themselves in that. Like, what situation in your life could this apply to you? And that's so funny, because I'm like, remind me of how I. How I ended that. But it's. It's the same thing I was saying. It's like, sometimes you have to bend the rules. You have to walk through it. You have to know, like, okay, Lord, I'm gonna do this. And maybe there's an outcome. If I didn't make that soup and feed it to people and sell it, I fully don't believe that I would have opened my own restaurant. I don't think I would have because I was just serving other people's food. And the fact that to know that I made that little butternut squash soup and people loved it made me want to make more. And so that, I think, was really the time that I started ideating Manola. And it was several years later that we opened Manola and to feed people. And then for God, I remember standing in the doorway of Manola and hear, just really audibly, the Lord's voice, like, I'm going to care for you through this place. And when it closed, I questioned everything. I'm like, lord, you promised me. What do you mean? And look, here I am 15 years later, writing books and sharing my stories. And everything has to do with food. Every single bit of it. It all has to do with food. And Loving people. And that's such a good reminder. I needed that this morning. I'm in the throes of writing a new book. Book. And I won't write something just to fill a page. It's got to really be, like, in my heart. And I'm already on my first extension. I believe we may need a second. It was due February 16th. Now the extension is up March 16th. We're definitely gunning for March 23rd. But I'll go to bed at night thinking I'm not just going to write stuff to write stuff. It's got to be really in my heart and soul and something that I want, that the Lord wants me to share. And so that's such a neat thing for me to even hear that. I haven't read that story in a really long time. I think it's. Sometimes we forget to celebrate our wins, and that's such a win. And I haven't written. I wrote that 15 years ago. Like, to be reminded of that because you don't go back through and read your own books. You just move on to the next. So to know that that's impactful and in there is so beautiful in the way that you relate it back to me. Thank you.
- [60:19]
Jenny Urch
It's a timeless message, isn't it?
- [60:21]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah. Yeah.
- [60:21]
Jenny Urch
This one also ends with. With. In. In this particular cookbook, which is called rustic, joyful food, my heart's table, it says, never. You wrote, never be afraid to create. It says like it says, because you wrote, never be afraid to create, no matter how hard it might seem to start. Follow your dreams, follow your heart, and never stop pushing. Never stop believing that you were made to dream and accomplish great things. Failure is only a reminder that you're alive. So, you know, you fail from a job or this thing doesn't work out, but here you are. You're alive and you push forward. Your story is so powerful. You've got a new memoir that's going to be coming. That's probably what the deadline's for, right?
- [60:55]
Danielle Cardiff
It is. That's the deadline. Oh, my gosh. And the title's so great. So the first title was don't mind if I do burn your house down, and we loved it. And that theme is still in the book because we're burning down all the ideas that we think we have for ourselves. And it's funny. It's funny. This book is funny. It's a good one. But we have changed the title to overcooked and underdone. I just love it. I feel like that's my whole life. A little overcooked and a little underdone, but right there in the middle is some really fun stuff to be mined. So, yeah, this book is pushing me and teaching me and growing me and this deadline, we just keep stretching out just a touch. But it comes out in spring.
- [61:32]
Jenny Urch
Next spring. Oh, I'm so excited. Okay. As you're wrapping it up, can you talk about the flip side?
- [61:38]
Danielle Cardiff
Yeah.
- [61:39]
Jenny Urch
The hard parts of when all of a sudden stuff does blow up and how you manage that.
- [61:46]
Danielle Cardiff
You know what? I'm a crier. If you can't tell you of all the podcasts we do together, I definitely do process through tears. And there is something that happens in crying because I'm not crying out. Like, woe is me. I find that I often cry out to the Lord. Like I am feeling overwhelmed. I don't think that I can do this. I am a heavy processor and I process through the whole thing. And the Lord is so faithful. Like even now and even in our conversation is answer to prayer for things I prayed for this morning when I was crying on my husband's shoulder. So the being reminded of where we come from, they're reminded of the message in this. Because it's not all hearts and flowers. Just because God. I say this all the time too. When God calls you to something, I think that we think it's supposed to be easy. Look what Jesus was called to. And nothing I do is compared to that at all. The Lord set out his plan for his life and it was a tough one. Like we couldn't even imagine what the Lord had to go through. And so just, just, just thinking like, oh, I follow the Lord, you open this door. It's supposed to be easy. Supposed to be easy on my marriage. It's often opposite world with scripture in the Bible. Like if you're having a hard time with your spouse, instead of taking a break from them and being selfish, you need to dig in and pray for them. Like it's. That's the thing that changes and shifts. So I think that the way that I process is prayer communication is big for me. I mean, if I am having a hard time, everyone's going to know it. Not, not like I'm a tyrant. But I want to talk about it. I need to talk it again and I need to talk about it a third time. And then I've been really good lately at asking the Lord to heal up wounds that I keep picking open. God is so faithful to heal us when we ask him for it. And it's Funny. I was listening. My. I have a dear friend. Her name is Leah. She's Boston country mom on Instagram. So she's just so fun. She's a homeschooler and lovely. We talk about this all the time. Like, we sort of live in this trunk trauma culture, and where we like the trauma, we. It's delicious. We revisit it. We're like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And there's nothing wrong with working through something and going to therapy. We need that. So I'm not disparaging that at all. But allow God to heal it and move on. Like, that's a real big thing for me is heal from it and move on. And there's an essay that I wrote in this book about forgiveness, and it talks about, like, the. Everybody talks about the divorce effect, that, yo, you know, drop your dead weight. You. You lost 180 pounds of dead weight. Your husband, whatever. And then these women get gorgeous and their skin's glowing and their hair's flowing and they're divorced, and we discount the forgiveness effect. And so I talk about even struggles in my own marriage and with my husband and. And things like that that I like to keep and then pick out a little bit. And then we're fighting again about something that happened 10 years ago. And so this. The Lord has been really working on my heart about the forgiveness of effect. And the other day, somebody told me, your skin is glowing. And I'm 44 years old. And I thought I. Someone hasn't told me I was glowing in a really long time. But that entire week, I was working on forgiveness. So if we want to glow up, let's talk about forgiving and moving on really, truly, fully the way that the Lord forgives us every single day. And so this book is going to be powerful. And I want people to be healed. I want them to giggle, but I want them to be healed of their junk. We're all just this messy work in progress. Cry talk, advocate for yourself, but move on. My dad used to say when we were kids, like, call the wambulance. Like, what are you gonna do about it? And I used to get so mad, like, you're supposed to be mad with me for me for a while. And then I'm like, no. Now I tell my kids the same thing. I'm like, well, call the wambulants. They're super resilient. And they're like, okay, we gotta move on. What are we gonna do about it?
- [65:30]
Jenny Urch
My dad would say, this is the world's tiniest violin. And it's playing a sad song for you. I was like, what? What? I don't understand. Oh, gosh, Daniel, I love it. I'm so excited for the new one. You just show that there is so much. There's so much that God has for us, even when it appears there isn't. And you talked about. I just want to read as we're wrapping up here, because you talked in the other episodes about how you're like, I kind of struggled through school. School. And you just wrote this beautiful. In your very first cookbook, this dedication to your sister. I have a gift. Her name is Jenny and she just happens to be my sister. I remember when she had her. When she first had her babies long before me. And she was so tender and kind and patient. I always wanted to be a mom like her. She models the kind of mom I want to be for Noah. I never had a cheerleader like her or anyone who will laugh as hard over the breeze as Jenny. She is a dose of reality. She is a bunch of dahlias. She is Thai food at 11pm pm for a last minute second dinner. And she is a cool drink when my heart is parched. She is a gift. You're such a writer. Oh, you. You read your things and you're like, oh, maybe my life can be more. That's what you always get from it. I'm so proud of you. Thank you. Huge congrats on the new cookbook in all the things. I adore you. I'm so glad that we've connected.
- [66:46]
Danielle Cardiff
I just love you so much.
- [66:48]
Jenny Urch
Thanks for being here.
- [66:49]
Danielle Cardiff
Wow. Next time I promise I won't cry. Well, no, I don't. No, I won't. Next time I'll cry.
- [66:54]
Jenny Urch
Hopefully we get to do it again soon. And I'm so excited to watch the of the season of Next Level Chef.
- [66:59]
Danielle Cardiff
You just have the best way of reminding me, like, how good this life is. Seriously. You just get stuck in it and you're so good at it. Thank you, Jenny.