gistfile1.txt

module NtT
        def self.node_to_text(hash_t, spacer)
                output = ''

                for k, v in hash_t
                        if v.is_a?(Hash)
                                output += spacer + "#{k.to_s} :\n"
                                output += node_to_text(v, spacer + '   ')
                        else
                                output += spacer + "#{k.to_s} : #{v.to_s}\n"
                        end
                end

                return output
        end
end

gistfile2.txt

template "/tmp/node_hash.txt" do
        source "node_hash.txt.erb"
        action :create
        variables :vars => NtT.node_to_text(node, '')
end

gistfile3.txt

[Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:08:15 -0800] DEBUG: Loading cookbook quick_start library file: /var/cache/chef/cookbooks/quick_start/libraries/node.rb
[Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:08:15 -0800] DEBUG: Loading Recipe quick_start
[Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:08:15 -0800] DEBUG: Found recipe default in cookbook quick_start
/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/resource.rb:72:in `method_missing': undefined method `node_to_text' for Chef::Resource::Template (NoMethodError)
        from /var/cache/chef/cookbooks/quick_start/recipes/default.rb:8:in `from_file'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/mixin/recipe_definition_dsl_core.rb:68:in `instance_eval'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/mixin/recipe_definition_dsl_core.rb:68:in `method_missing'
        from /var/cache/chef/cookbooks/quick_start/recipes/default.rb:5:in `from_file'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/cookbook.rb:166:in `load_recipe'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/compile.rb:156:in `load_recipes'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/compile.rb:142:in `each'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/compile.rb:142:in `load_recipes'
         ... 7 levels...
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/lib/chef/application.rb:57:in `run'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/chef-0.7.14/bin/chef-client:26
        from /usr/bin/chef-client:19:in `load'
        from /usr/bin/chef-client:19
[daharon@chef-client tmp]$