Katie Brown celebrates an expanding empire

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - If you've ever watched Katie Brown on PBS and Lifetime, or read one of her cookbooks or columns, you just might be feeling a little insecure _ and rightly so.

One day last week, Brown was promoting her newest book and corporate partnership with Meijer, running "Katie Brown Workshop," shopping for a pick-me-up gift for her ailing father, picking up her 4-year-old from pre-school, and cooking dinner _ with an 11-day-old baby in the house.

Most of us can't match Brown's organizational skills, but we can benefit from her boundless energy and talent.

Brown is partnering with Meijer Inc. to be the retailer's home solutions adviser. For now, you'll see her tips on cooking and decorating at Meijer stores across the country, but in a year or so, there will be products all over the store with Katie Brown's name on them.

Items in Brown's Northern Shores and Orchard collections are "born of who I am _ lakeside and country." Brown grew up on Michigan's Mackinaw Island, and she and her husband recently bought an apple orchard in Massachusetts, where they grow 106 varieties of heirloom apples.

Brown, who is almost as well known as Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray, did not jump on the first corporate bandwagon to come along.

"I didn't want to blow it. I wanted to make sure I really was ready," she said. Her audience now is made up of viewers and readers, and at Meijer, they are shoppers.

Brown's recipes are all about being simple and quick. Her fifth book is "Katie Brown Celebrates." "First of all, it celebrates. There's a party for each month of the year and how to decorate for it," she said.

"I say, if you can't afford to redecorate, have a party. It puts new energy into your home to fill it up with good friends and family," she said.

The December/holiday section in the book features how to make a gift topiary, bejeweled napkin rings and a pine cone runner.

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These recipes are from the holiday chapter.

GINGER PANCAKE ROLLUPS

For the pancakes:

2 cups Bisquick

1 teaspoon cinnamon

˝ teaspoon cloves

˝ teaspoon ginger

1 egg

1˝ cups milk

Vegetable oil for brushing pan

For the filling:

2 blocks (8 ounces each) cream cheese

For the warm lemon sauce:

˝ cup butter, melted

1 egg, well-beaten

1 cup sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

Ľ cup water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

For pancakes, mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing well until you have a smooth batter.

Heat griddle or non-stick pan, brush with vegetable oil and add ˝ cup batter, swirling to make thin. Cook on one side until bubbles are visible on top, then flip and cook on other side until golden.

Supporting FREE Catholic Education with Grass-fed Beef

Cut cream cheese into 12 pieces. While pancakes are cooking, make lemon sauce in a medium saucepan. Starting with butter, gradually add ingredients, one at a time, beating well over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens.

When pancakes are ready, roll around cream cheese while pancake is hot. Serve rollup with warm lemon sauce.

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PEAR SALAD WITH JICAMA, RADISH AND CELERY

8 to 9 radishes, halved, sliced thin

6 Bosc pears, sliced thin

2 whole jicama, peeled and grated (or cut into matchsticks)

2 stalks celery, peeled and sliced thin

Zest of 3 limes

2 lemons, juiced

Ľ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon of honey

Salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and serve. Make sure to cut the pear last, as it will oxidize.

Note: If you have to step away for a couple of minutes, mix pear and lemon juice together to keep pear from oxidizing.

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© 2008, Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.).