'No-Bake Desserts' cookbook a sweet treat for those who like easy recipes

“I’d never really cooked, but I loved looking at recipes in magazines and I’d tear them out and study them to see why certain ingredients worked together,” Gundry says.

Gundry knew recipes well before she ever put a pan in the oven. But despite this rather unusual early culinary education, Gundry would go on to earn a master’s degree in culinary arts at Auguste Escoffier in Avignon, France, and work for some of the biggest names in the food industry — Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Martha Stewart.

Gundry, who now lives in the Chicago area, is the culinary director for a lifestyle publishing company, writes a food blog, was the winner of the TV cooking show "Cutthroat Kitchen" and is now competing on the 13th season of Food Network Star, where her judges include Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis.

Given her background one might expect Gundry’s latest cookbook — or any of them for that matter — to be complex and ingredient intensive. But that’s not her way.

“I want to use what I’ve learned to make cooking easier for people,” says Gundry, author of "No Bake Desserts: 103 Easy Recipes for No-Bake Cookies, Bars, and Treats" (St. Martin’s Griffin, $19.99). She says she's all about easy entertaining so guests and hosts can enjoy great food and conversation.

Gundry developed each of the 103 recipes, which she describes as semi-homemade because she often uses packaged mixes as an ingredient.

“Since I didn’t have an oven at school, I figured out how to make no-bake desserts,” she says. “And I think my cookbook is perfect for summertime and families. First of all, you don’t have to turn on the oven so you’re not heating up the kitchen, and secondly, young kids can help make these because there’s no safety worries about them being around a hot stove.”

Her book is divided into chapters such as Cakes and Pies, Candies and Chocolates, Fruit and Frozen Desserts and Desserts in a Jar. Including the last chapter is recipes for S’Mores in a Jar, Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake in a Jar, Pretzel Butterscotch and Individual Peanut Butter Cups. For those new to the no-bake concept, Gundry recommends starting with the chapter on Cookies, Bites and Bars.

As a Food Network star, Gundry believes that one of “the most-valuable thing I could teach a viewer is how to create food and drinks that are very easy to do so you can do it at any occasion you have in mind but also very elegant to serve. So, I'd like to show people that you can create food that's delicious, but also show them how to style and entertain with it.”

The following recipes are from "No Bake Desserts: 103 Easy Recipes for No-Bake Cookies, Bars, and Treats."

Drumstick Sundae

2 sugar ice cream cones

3 scoops snickerdoodle ice cream

1 cup store-bought hot fudge sauce

Crush one ice cream cone and place in the bottom of a 16-ounce Mason jar. Top with two scoops of ice cream. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce. Add one more scoop of ice cream and topped with remaining fudge sauce.

Serve immediately.

Loaded Marshmallow Cereal Treats

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

10 ounce bag mini marshmallows

12 ounce box Kix cereal (or your favorite cereal)

Sprinkles

Line a nine 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.

Add three-quarters of the marshmallows and stir.

Slice into squares to serve.

Mug Cake

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup whole milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Malted milk balls, crumbled or crushed

Store-bought chocolate sauce for topping

In a small ball, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar.

Add the milk and vegetable oil in stir well to incorporate. Pour the batter into a large mug.

Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Remove from the microwave and top with malted milk balls and chocolate sauce.

Note from the author: All microwaves are different. You may need more time for your cake to cook.