After giving birth to my daughter last month, I was in the hospital for several days. Thank goodness for magazines because I would have been bored out of my head – I only had a temperamental television and a newborn to keep me company over the long days (and sleepless nights). And yes, she is adorable. But there are only so many hours you can spend staring at a little sleeping baby girl . . . seriously. Honestly, I couldn’t wait to get out and get back to life regardless of whatever pain I was in. Of course, when I did get out I did wish a bit that I had stayed longer — it certainly was nice to have a fantastic staff ready and willing to help with anything. But that’s a topic for a different blog.

Anyway, one of the magazines I read was Woman’s Day. It’s not something I normally pick up, but I am glad that I did this time. I actually came out with a great recipe that worked fantastically and would make a nice holiday gift for someone.

And, strangely, I had all the ingredients on hand. I had picked up self-rising flour awhile back and it’s been collecting dust on a shelf ever since. For the beer, I used a lime twisted one that my husband had leftover from summer — I cannot remember the name though. It worked well. I would love to try this with a Harp or Guinness though.

If you want to gift this, let it cool completely before wrapping it up. A cellophane bag and bow could do the trick . . .

No Knead Cheddar Beer Bread
yields 1 loaf

2 2/3 cup self-rising flour
1 cup grated cheddar
12 oz beer, chilled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Combine flour and cheddar in a large bowl and mix well with a rubber spatula (to prevent sticking). Add beer and stir until the flour mixture is completely moistened. Pour into the loaf pan and spread out as best you can.

Cook in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes until a tester inserted in the middle pulls out clean. The top should be golden brown.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Then remove from pan.

How to serve? My favorite way is warm with a nice slash of butter. Mmmm.

At Christmas time, I cook a lot. There are treat baskets for friends and family, cookies for Santa, desserts for holiday meals . . . and though it’s a lot, I have to confess that I love every minute of it. Cooking is a passion for me, pure and simple.

In a week or so, I will begin the rush to bake for the treat baskets – and cook too. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I am exhausted and cooking takes a lot of the little energy I have left. Sad, but undeniably true.

So, I have been pulling together my recipes for this year’s collection with the idea of easy but delicious in mind. Something that immediately came to mind was peppermint bark. Peppermint bark is one of those super easy treats that consistently draws wows. For whatever reason, people assume it must be hard to make. In reality, it’s anything but difficult. It’s also ultra-flexible, which is a giant plus.

Here’s a step by step guide to making your own super-easy peppermint bark this year. And believe me, it’s totally worth the time. Just be sure to use quality ingredients – particularly the chocolate.

One little note, my method involves no tempering, so if you are worried, make it on the same day it is consumed (or given away), because there is a chance it could turn gray after a day — though I haven’t had that happen. Just warnin’ ya.

Step one: Gather Your Ingredients and Utensils.

You will need 6-8 oz of dark chocolate (here I used a mixture of good single origin bittersweet chocolate and some dark chocolate in a 1:1 ratio — about 6 oz total). You will also need peppermint extract, a double boiler, a baking sheet and parchment paper. Oh, and two peppermint candy canes, crushed.

Step two: Melt the Chocolate

Break the chocolate into chunks and place it in the top of a double broiler (bottom should be filled with water and heated over medium). Stir frequently until chocolate is fully melted. Then add 1/4-1/2 tsp peppermint extract and mix well.

Step three: Spread the Chocolate

Once the chocolate is fully melted, spread it evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. You want it to be about 1/4 inch thick.

Step four: Make It Pretty

Now, evenly distribute the crushed candy cane all over the just-spread chocolate. Set the pan aside to cool for at least two hours. Then break into pieces.

Ta-da! Now, wasn’t that easy? Not so bad, eh?

It’s that time of year again: time for seeking out presents for our loved ones. I love shopping for the people I love and getting things I know they will enjoy.

Last year, I highlighted my favorite cookbooks in anticipation of the holidays. This year, I want to tell you about some of my favorite products that would make great gifts. Stay tuned for more posts like this.

Who is health savvy?
Do you need a healthy gift for a health savvy person? Healthy people are into living well in all aspects of their lives. Health savvy people probably exercise frequently and maintain a fit physique (or are working toward a more fit body). They likely are conscious of what food they eat and in what quantity. They may even be very interested in having a well-exercised mind and a solid amount of spirituality. Some health savvy people are just learning about healthy living. Others are old pros of health.

What is a good healthy gift for a health savvy person?
Great question … and the possibilities are endless. Here are a few good ideas:

-A Pedometer – These little step counters are great to have. Be sure to choose one with a high user rating (I usually research and buy from Amazon, so customer reviews are always available to help choose a good one. Click the link above to check out the selection). Now, from experience, I do have to say that price does matter — with pedometers, you get what you pay for, so spend a little extra and get a good one that will last.

- Nike+ iPod Sport Kit – If your health nut has an iPod Nano and Nike+ sneakers, this is a great gift. Specially designed to work with the two products, this kit allows wireless use of the iPod while exercising. And who doesn’t like to workout with tunes?

- Bobby Flay’s Grilling for Life – I bought this gift as a present for my father earlier this year and he’s gone crazy using it. The recipes are fantastic and have really inspired some healthy and delicious grilled foods to hit my family’s table. Even my little brother, who isn’t a big food fan, loves everything that comes from this book. It’s a great healthy cookbook for grilling.

- A Good, Sturdy Water Bottle – Staying hydrated is such an important part of being healthy. To this end, many health nuts like to carry around water bottles to ensure that they get their 8-12 glasses a day in. If you are looking for a really special bottle, check out the Hydracoach, which has a built in monitor to not only calculate how much water you have consumed, but how much you should be consuming. How cool is that?

It’s that time of year again: time for seeking out presents for our loved ones. I love shopping for the people I love and getting things I know they will enjoy.

Last year, I highlighted my favorite cookbooks in anticipation of the holidays. This year, I want to tell you about some of my favorite products that would make great gifts. Stay tuned for more posts like this.

It’s the person you know who likes to cook but is still learning basic techniques. This person will eventually appreciate the best of the best stuff, but for now, they just need a few good tools to help them get started.

The budding chef isn’t ready for cookware that takes longer to clean than use and doesn’t need gadgets to be great in the kitchen (though gadgets might save time, it’s ultimately better to know how to do things by hand first). Think entry level. The budding chef needs things to help them get started and develop their love of cooking.

Here’s a few ideas to help you along your gift-buying way:

1. Cuisinart 5-Inch Santoku Knife - I bought this knife a few years ago after hearing much about the ease of chopping with santoku knives. It’s a great starter knife for a budding chef because it’s sturdy and doesn’t cost a fortune.

2. An apron - Aprons are a necessity in the kitchen for anyone who cooks. Who wants to end up with sauce on your nice blouse or a streak of oil on your oxford? A fun or practical apron for the budding chef in your life would make a great gift. Check out the ultra-hip (and retro) Jessie Steele line of aprons. They are very fun. For the guy in your life, he might prefer a more basic apron. And waist aprons can be a good alternative too. Me? I collect special aprons (read: no weird sayings or bizarre slogans for me) and have a few hanging in my kitchen — one from my days working at Williams-Sonoma and one from my last trip to London, from Harrods.

3. Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel pan set – This is the set of pans I started out on, and still cook with. Love them. They aren’t top of the line, but they are very good. They’re durable and have withstood some big mistakes (a few scorchings, in fact). They clean up nicely, even stuck on stuff, with the scrubber pad on the back of the sponge (though I do have a box of Brillo beneath the sink, just in case). This is a great starter set that can be used for years to come.

4. A cookbook – Well, duh — that’s a no brainer, but getting the right one can be a little more tricky. Everyone needs inspiration sometimes. Here are a few good cookbooks for those who are just starting out as budding chefs:

• How to Cook Everything – This cookbook is great for the person who wants to cook well, but just doesn’t know how yet. It’s clear and easy directions made it a huge hit when I gave it to a friend at a bridal shower several years ago. There is also the new volume, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, which has gotten good reviews.
• The Good Home Cookbook – I was lucky enough to get a review copy of this book a year ago and I loved it. It’s a thick round-up of classic recipes that everyone should know how to make. It’s been used many times by me in the past year and I definitely recommend it for anyone who likes to cook.
• Betty Crocker Cookbook – This is another great general starter cookbook. I’ve been using it for years and still find some great ideas for baked goods, meals and more. The newest edition (this one) is the best yet (I’ve owned several editions).
• Joy of Cooking – This is a little more advanced in technique, but overall a great kitchen bible. Everyone should have a copy of this on their shelves.

5. a cooking class – Sorry, no links for this one. But to find cooking classes in your area, check any local community colleges, culinary schools (for noncredit courses) and even Williams-Sonoma stores. You can also check the James Beard Foundation for special foodie events in your area. Is there a Ritz Carlton hotel near you? Check there too, as the spas often offer classes as well. This is a great gift, since it can broaden your budding chef’s experience through hands on learning.

Mmm, chocolate dipped pretzels. These could quite possibly be the easiest things I have ever, ever made. Seriously. And of all the treats I made to give away this season, they got the biggest wow. Go figure.

How did I do it? It all started with a bag of pretzel rods (be sure your bag has as many unbroken ones as possible – I ran into some treacherously broken bags). I melted 8 oz. of chocolate chips per 12 rods in a makeshift double broiler (pot of hot water with a melt mixing bowl over top – the chocolate chips go in the mixing bowl. Stir frequently until just melted smooth). Then I used a spoon to coat about half of each pretzel with chocolate. To smooth it out, I held the rod by the chocolate-free end and gently shook the chocolate down and off. Then, over a plate, I sprinkled nonpareils and other little decorations onto the chocolate. After they cooled and the chocolate hardened, I transferred them to decorative bags.

Sooooooooo easy. I’m tellin’ ya!