As the host of my own show dedicated to making the most of simple lifestyles, and author of columns and books (like the recent "Katie Brown Celebrates"), I think the best way to describe me would be as a busy mother! My television program, The Katie Brown Workshop, begins its fourth season later this spring. I've been working in television for over a decade now, but I enjoy the show more every year—the new episodes are full of all kinds of recipes, craft ideas, and gardening tips that I hope viewers find as useful as I have. I love my job, and I feel so lucky to have it—I pinch myself every day! In a family rich with cooking traditions, little comes close to the importance of the Christmas Caramel Ice Cream! Every year, each household in my family would have a go at the secret recipe, and we’d all get together to sample the results. In my house, my father was the ice cream authority, and this was one of the few times he would be found in the kitchen. If he asked you to help, it was both a terror and a joyful thrill! In my family, you know you're taken seriously if you get an old-fashioned ice cream maker for Christmas—you know, the ones with the wood around the bucket. I still haven't gotten one…and the recipe remains a family secret. In my days as a caterer in LA, I was struggling to make ends meet and definitely not in a position to say no to a high-profile client. I often had to say to myself, "Just fake it 'til you make it!" One time, a very well-respected musical family came to me for a meal, and they wanted rack of lamb. I said, "Of course!" The only problem was that I'd never cooked rack of lamb before in my life. I didn't even have the money to get extra lamb and do a test run. I must have read every rack of lamb recipe in the world, crossed my fingers, and started cooking…and it worked. It was a delicious meal! I decided to throw a New Year's party for the year 2000. There was so much hubbub surrounding the day, and the party became a bigger deal than I expected—tons of guests, a magazine did a story on it, and there I was, scrambling to get all the food and decorations ready before the ball dropped. Amid the craziness, I was cooking a huge roast beef, and I botched it. It was SO overcooked, but it was the last minute and all I could think to do was cover it in sauce. It was terrible—dry, grey, and tasteless. A good friend of mine leaned over and said, "Hey Katie, are you trying to bring back college cuisine?" Oh well—we rang in the new millennium with smiles anyhow.