good morning. unprecedented. security stepped up across new york city with the 90th macy's thanksgiving day parade about to get under way. a record 3,000 police officers at the ready as 3 million people gather for the festivities. we'll talk to the nypd police commissioner -- live. up to speed? donald trump's holiday message. >> it's my prayer that on this thanksgiving we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country. >> as officials reveal he's turned down several intelligence briefings since winning the white house. this as trump picks a second woman for his cabinet. mixed reactions to his new controversial choice already pouring in.

moment an e cigarette explodes in one man's pocket bursting into flames while he was working. so what was behind the blast? and cold turkey. president obama's last thanksgiving at the white house. >> malia and sasha, by the way, are thankful that this is my final presidential turkey pardon. >> a tradition he loved that may stay in the family. >> what i haven't told them yet is that we are going to do this every year from now on. no cameras, just us. every year. " 24th, 2016. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today" on this thanksgiving thursday morning. i'm willie geist. >> i'm tamron hall. happy thanksgiving. matt, savannah and al are

>> that is our top story this morning. it is time for the festivities to get under way with 16 giant character balloons, 26 floats, 1,100 cheerleaders, and 16 marching bands and performance groups. >> matt and savannah have their hosting hats on in herald square. >> good morning! happy thanksgiving. here's standing here on 34th street in front of macy's. behind us you may get a performing on broadway. >> i'm wondering if the preparation of the latte will be up to your standards. this is the 90th year of the parade so it is all about tradition today. they're bringing back some old traditions. there's always something new and exciting. we're going to have a lot more about the parade just ahead. >> the weather is cooperating. of course, security is a big concern every year, especially this year because of what seem

stephanie rule is along the parade route where millions will have fun today but where the nypd will be hard at work. steph, let's go to you. >> reporter: a few of those police officers were just walking along this parade route earlier and the crowd gave them a big round of applause. paradegoers who come here every year are certainly used to seeing security but not quite like this. the nypd is taking measures they've never a show of force like never before. a record 3,000 officers on duty thanksgiving day. a critical response command force trained in long guns and counterterrorism. 83 sanitation trucks filled with 16 tons of sand blocking cross streets to thwart an attack like the one in nice, france. nypd's chief of counterterrorism. >> given the current climate around the world, the sense of

wanted to make certain. >> what specifically can a sand truck do that just a patrol car can't do? >> you are a he not going to move a sand truck. >> reporter: on monday a new york city taxi driver was charged with trying to join isis and expressing support for vehicle attack in times square. earlier this month the isis propaganda magazine called on its supporters to target the parade itself. but concerns this holiday season are not limited to the u.s. the state department issued an traveling in europe warning that terror groups continue to plan attacks. >> the main point that we were trying to convey to potential travelers is to be vigilant. >> reporter: in france, seven men were arrested for planning to strike the famous christmas market in straussburg, according to french security officials. at home, new york police say they don't believe parade crowds will be deterred. >> we are always new york. we remain true to our values. new yorkers are strong and

century-old tradition is not so easily rattled. another measure they are taking on the streets this year for the first time is they are closing down every single cross street. that's roughly 40 blocks. but one complication the nypd does not need to deal with this year -- president-elect trump and his family are not in the city. they've gone down to florida. back to you guys. >> nbc's stephanie gosk. stephanie, sorry about that. my bad. >> thank you so much. let's turn to new york city's police commissioner. sir. good morning. so good to have you sir. >> good morning. it is great to be back. >> i know you probably don't do most of your conversations with the cast of "waitress" behind you. but obviously security is always a concern. this is a massive undertaking to secure a parade like this. is it heightened this year because of some of specific threats you've received? >> it is not specific or

picture of the macy's day parade. we have to expand our resources to increase security this year and we did. >> let's talk about the resource and the effort. it is a 2 1/2 mile parade route which presents a unique challenge. >> there are a lot of challenges. but the nypd does so many large-scale events. this is something that we do all the time. we do new year's, we do fourth of july. this year we have blocker trucks. we have 83 sand . prevent any vehicles from coming on the route. there's no cross town traffic at 57th street. 42nd street and 34th street. >> obviously a huge show of force that we can see. there's also so much going on behind the scenes that the public doesn't see but i know will give a lot of reassurance. >> there's obviously a lot of uniformed cops. more than last year. from's a lot of things that people aren't going to see. a lot of people in plain clothes.

we have people with radiation detectors. we have the vapor wave dogs. come on down. weather is a little chilly but i'm sure it is going to warm up. it is going to be a great day and a safe day. >> you want people to have a good time but be aware of their surroundings as we always suggest in the city. your first year as commissioner but you've been in this city a long time. what's this parade mean to you? >> it means a lot. it is such a great family event. last year i did it as chief of the department. i got this job about two months men and women of this police department. they do such a great job each and every day keeping this city safe. >> someone in particular you want to introduce us to? >> kevin o'connor's got 35 years on the job. this is his 26th thanksgiving day parade. he doesn't get down to 34th street a lot. is he a manhattan north guy but he's been doing this job a long time keeping the people safe. this is his last parade. >> what are you going to do when you wake up on thanksgiving and you can sleep in if you want?

>> thank you so much for your service. >> thank you so much. it is great to work at this kind of parade. >> thanks for the efforts of the nypd, commissioner. nice to see you. >> happy thanksgiving. mentioned a little while ago, the weather is cooperating, although the commissioner says maybe a little chilly. let's go to al and find out what the forecast holds. >> hey, guys, it is going to be fantastic. some clouds but i think we'll see some breaks in the clouds. the parade is getting ready just down the block here. we've got charlie brown, got thomas, tank engine. winds are very light so the balloons will be able to fly at their full capacity. it is going to be spectacular. look for temperatures right now it is about 39. by the time we see the parade kick off, it will be about 42 degrees and away we'll go with those calm winds. it will stay just cloudy. i think we'll start to see some sunshine by the time san today makes it to herald square. weather, not going to be a problem, guys. >> well, my two favorite events

to herald square, and about an hour and a half before that, you making it to our broadcast position. we look forward to that. >> can't wait to see you. >> look forward to seeing you guys. >> all right, al, thank you so much. i think the starbucks has arrived and the omelet bar you requested. tamron and willie, we are in great shape. >> send over some omelets, while you're at it. we'll get back to you in just a minute. switching gears now. to politics. president-elect donald trump willoy family at his mar-a-lago estate in florida. that's where we find nbc's kristen welker. good morning, happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: willie, happy thanksgiving and good morning to you. that's right, president-elect donald trump will actually relax today with family. the brief break comes as he gets increased scrutiny over his cabinet picks and how he's handling a critical part of his transition -- intelligence briefings. intelligence officials tell nbc

winning the white house, far fewer than the near daily briefings that are expected. the revelation first reported by "the washington post" which noted vice president-elec mike pence has gotten briefings almost every year. eight years ago when president obama was transitioning he asked for extra briefings. some say the novice is missing a golden opportunity to get up to one senior intelligence official cautions it is too early to draw broad conclusions. late wednesday the president-elect sending a thanksgiving message to the public in a video produced by his transition team. >> it's my prayer that on this thanksgiving, we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country. >> reporter: mr. trump also adding to his administration. after tapping a succession of loyalists, president-elect trump is now aiming for diversity aiming south carolina governor

ambassador to the united nations. haley, a rising star in the gop, was a fierce trump critic during the campaign. quickly changing her tone. >> while i won't pretend to have always been president-elect's biggest cheerleader -- [ laughter ] >> -- i did vote for him, and i was absolutely thrilled to see him win. >> reporter: trump praising haley as a deal maker. but critics say she lax serious foreign policy experience. his other pick -- bet for education secretary, another rival turned supporter. she is a billionaire gop donor and advocate for school bus. her selection was hailed by jeb bush but the largest national teacher's union called her an ideological anti-public teacher nominee. growing group of democrats are demanding a recount after several computer scientists

third party candidate jill stein has raised millions of dollars for the effort. the clinton campaign isn't weighing in but secretary clinton's lead in the popular vote has now grown to more than 2 million. willie? tamron? >> kristen welker. with thanksgiving's move the beautiful backdrop, among other things. thanks so much. >> indeed. cnbc's chief washington correspondent john harwood is keeping an eye on all of this this morning. john, happy thanksgiving. good morning. >> happy thanksgiving to you guys. >> start offh new information reported by kristen welker that donald trump has chosen to attend two. these are daily. mike pence has attended them. what's this tell you? >> like the intelligence officials kristen just quoted, i think it is a little too early to draw too many sweeping conclusions. however, it underscores concerns about donald trump on two grounds. one, the lack of experience that he brings to the job, especially with foreign policy and intelligence issues.

attention span. donald trump is not somebody who is honed in on topics in the deep-dive way that kristen referred to like president obama did when he was transitioning to the job. i think people are going to expect that unless he turns over national security and foreign policy to his vice president, he's going to need to have a storehouse of knowledge and he needs to begin acquiring that now. >> look at s picks. nikki haley of south carolina, to be the ambassador to the u.n. betty devos, the teacher's union coming out strongly against her yesterday. what do you make of those two picks put together? >> first of all, nikki haley adds diversity, both in terms of the fact that she's a woman, she's also an indian-american. that in some ways softens the face that donald trump's administration will present to

experience but that's an advocacy job as opposed to a policy making job at the u.n. i think that pick is getting significant amount of praise across the board. betsy devos is more controversial because shoe he is so ideological. she represents outreach to the republican party establishment. she's been a long-time republican official. but her zealous advocacy of school choice is something that obvious will i is offensive to teacher's union. they are going to fight how much he is going to put the weight of his presidecy behind the agenda. because donald trump doesn't have a lot of experience we don't know what he values most. he has positions but as we saw if that "new york times" interview the other day, those positions can change very quickly when he is confronted with new information. >> thank you, john harwood. while many are ready to celebrate thanksgiving with friends and family, thousands of u.s. troops are spending the

nbc's lucy cavanaugh is at ft. swift. >> reporter: willie, good morning. it's always tough to be away from home and especially from family, especially when you are on a dusty base just a few miles from the fight. we've had the honor of spending the day with these brave men and women who are finally getting a much deserved break and a little taste of home. inside this tiny kitchen on a remote base far from home, it's time to 120 pounds of turkey for 150 hungry mouths. it is a big day at camp swift. roughly 50 miles south of mosul, nearly 6,000 miles from home. it's private jordan white's first deployment. >> are you just missing thanksgiving with the family? >> definitely miss my family. sacrifice so others can be with their families. >> reporter: for lieutenant

time before the big meal meant sprucing up. >> i can't wait to face time my family back home. >> reporter: others worked out to work up an appetite. but the business of war doesn't stop for thanksgiving. >> because we are the front line of defense here on camp swift and we're what everyone relies on. >> reporter: operation "inherent resolve" is the fight against isis. battle captain katrina fedd has been here for eight months. her 10-year-old back home is counting down the days. >> he sent me a morning. he said happy thanksgiving, mom. i love you and i miss you. can't wait for you to come home. then he had a hashtag with 48 days on it. >> reporter: it is his sixth thanksgiving away but it doesn't make it any easier. >> 400,000 brothers and sisters, then i have my family at home. i'm in a pretty good spot. >> reporter: tamron, willie, in just a few hours, it will be

fight. but i think they might have a little message for folks back home. guys? >> happy thanksgiving! >> back to you. >> and back to them. >> lucy, thanks so much at camp swift. send us our very best. happy thanksgiving as well. now to chattanooga, tennessee, a sixth child has died in that horrific school bus accident. police say the bus was speeding when it veered off the road and crashed into a tree on monday. this morning five children remain in the hospital. authie show the driver, 24-year-old jonathanny walker had no trace of drugs or alcohol in his body. he remains in custody charged with multiple counts of vehicular homicide. an e-cigarette sparked a big scare at new york central's grand terminal. the incident was captured on wednesday when the battery-operated vaporizer inside a man's pants exploded.

pants. the man suffered severe burns to his hand and leg. it is not known what caused the e-cigarette to catch fire. >> people wonder why these are banned, like on planes. that's horrifying. let's get the rest of the forecast, as i rub my arms, you're cold outside but bundled up, l a. how are things going out there? >> reporter: feels pretty nice. not so bad. let's look at your travel weather for folks who are going to be heading home as we move forward in the forecast for today. it is looking good with mountain rain and snows in the pacific northwest. early snows in new england. rest of the country pretty good. then you've got to hit the road on saturday. you expect to see maybe a few scattered showers and thunderstorms as you get into the pacific northwest. all in all, not a bad day. that's what's going on. we're going to g she's the reason the good times are great.

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al always looks so good on the parade route. >> he looks good on everything. come on. coming up, thanksgiving at the trump's. donald trump's winter white house. the mar-a-lago estate in florida. but first, this is "today"

this season's cyber floats, the stars. we've got your ticket to the macy's thanksgiving day parade.

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cking up for kyle. here you go. you wouldn't put up with part of a pizza. um. something wrong? so when it comes to pain relievers, why put up with just part of a day? you want the whole thing? yes, yes! live whole. not part. aleve. hon, i don't know if i deserve this - i don't really work with my hands. you change a ton of diapers! your usual? not for me - for him. hon, you have something in your hair. i already ate, actually. hon, we listen to carol. make my eyes pop? is this supposed to happen? (screams) i'm just kidding. we should do this more often. hold hands? no, sit in crazy chairs. get together and shop small on small business saturday. small business saturday is our day to get out and shop small. a day to support our community

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been fired former cy-ride driver benjamin clague had been on paid administrative leave -- making more than 28-thousand dollars after the crash in ames last year. emmalee jacobs -- a center point urbana grad and a student at iowa state was killed. clague was sentenced to 30 days in jail for not reporting an accident -- as a part of a plea why clague was just now fired --but we have not yet heard bac k. firefighters are needed at a home in cedar falls. here's a picture r briarwood drive. there's damage to the upper level of the home. no injuries -- and no word yet on the cause of the fire. storm track seven meteorologist rachael is here now with your storm track seven forecast. from the kwwl stormtrack information. here is additional forecast information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team: we'll be back in 30 minutes, be sure to check kwwl dot com for the latest news

?? 7:30 now on this thanksgiving morning. look at the show november 24th, 2016. you are looking at the rehearsal of the classic broadway musical "cats" at the 90th annual macy's thanksgiving day parade. you know how i feel about adult cats. >> let's not get into that. >> luckily these are human adult cats so you can live with that. a look at the headlines. at least 67 people died in eastern china this morning when a scaffolding collapsed and a

rescue efforts now under way for an unknown number of people who are still trapped in that rubble. an alleged get-away plan was foiled when a police officers in idaho pulled over a car only to have a wanted man pop out of the trunk. the suspect's mother had been driving and police dash cam foot animal captured the ensuing scuffle. now mother and son facing charges. security in new york is at an all-time high for the macy's thanksgiving day parad morning. a record 3,000 police officers at the ready in an unprecedented effort to help keep the city safe. if your thanksgiving concerns are of a cooking variety. our friend katie lee has got your back. your turkey back. whatever kind of back. just tweet us using the #orangeroom. katie lee will answer your last-minute questions in a bit, including of course the famous how do you get that bag out of

>> i did. and my guests survived. matt and savannah a down at the center of the thanksgiving day parade action in herald square with a very special guest. >> we'll get to that in one second. you saw "cats" rehearsing a second ago. they're gone, we only have memories of "cats" now. they're switching over to "holiday inn." let's bring terry lundgren. this is a tradition for you and macy's. >> this is my favorite day of the year. but it is just so special we have our 90th anniversary of our parade. it was started by our employees. it is a tradition for our company and it is great to be here once again to celebrate. my family's here. big gathering. lots fun today. >> you talk about your employees. they are here in every capacity

>> we have more than 8,000 people working the parade today. imagine that. the large majority are employees who volunteer every year. once they do it, they can't get enough. they're holding balloons, they're acting as clowns, they're sweeping the streets behind horses. they're doing everything -- every imaginal job. it is just a family fun day. >> all week long we've been getting a sneak preview of some of the balloons. there's always something bigger and better every year. how involved do you get? are you like ove checking it out? is this something you really get into? >> the deal is, when you have 160,000 employees, you just got to depend on them to get things done like this. >> you're not blowing up balloons. >> no. imenjoying it just like everybody else. i've got an amazing team of talented people and they are the ones to really get it done and deserve the credit. >> we introduced you as the chairman and ceo. you're going to be a slacker

can i have your seat? >> i hope they give me a nice seat somewhere in the general neighborhood. >> you've done a great job. it's been fun to work with you. >> thanks for all you guys have done to make this parade the most watched television program on earth. >> terry, thank you so much. by the way, the parade on nbc, 9:00 a.m. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: "today's" weather is brought to you by walmart. this season. hey, guys, we are up town right now. we have country star kelsey balorini. you're going to be on the domino sugar float. >> yes. i grew up watching this parade. this is a big deal to see it in person. i have butterflies and i get to

>> what are you doing for thanksgiving? >> staying in the city tonight, having dinner in the city. then tomorrow go to nashville, then just stuff myself with food, then sleep for seven days after the situation. >> what do you think of this year? >> oh, gosh, just a year i never thought i would have. but more so, doing it with people i love a whole lot. >> take it in and enjoy it. >> thank you. happy thanksgiving! >> le what's going on for you. as far as your travel is concerned, for saturday, we are looking to see on the roads, not so bad throughout much of the country, although we will see some problems shaking out from i-80 out west, i-5, and i-90, especially from san francisco to reno on i-80. in the east, i-85, wet roads in connecticut, into maine, then

sunday, in the rockies we'll see some problems. looking at some trouble spots. look for i-80, i-90, i-5 in l.a., buffalo to boston on i-90 for rain and fog. some icy bridges early to late in the day. with another check of your storm track seven forecast. thanks for joining us, the today show is next and we'll be back in 25 minutes with more news and weather. have a great day. >> and that's your latest weather. coming through the parade right now, it's amy kuhler, executive producer!

later. very shiny. >> al, thanks so much. talk to you in a bit. coming up next, inside donald trump's mar-a-lago estate. some of the most expensive property in florida where the president-elect is spending thanksgiving with his family. we will take you there live. and much more with the stars of the 90th macy's thanksgiving day parade. (man) my dad and i have the same eyes. day parade. right after this. same nose. same toughness. and since he's had moderate alzheimer's disease, the same never quit attitude. that's why i asked his doctor about once-a-day namzaric. namzaric is approved for moderate to severe alzheimer's disease in patients who are taking donepezil. it may improve cognition and overall function, and may slow the worsening of symptoms for a while. namzaric does not change the underlying disease progression. don't take if allergic to memantine, donepezil, piperidine or any of the ingredients in namzaric. tell the doctor about any conditions including heart, lung, bladder, kidney or liver problems, seizures, stomach ulcers, or procedures with anesthesia. serious side effects may occur, including muscle problems if given anesthesia;

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this morning, president-elect trump is spend pentagon thanksgiving down at mar-a-lago. >> other presidents have had homes in florida, but not quite like this. kristen welker is there this morning. >> reporter: good morning. donald trump's home here in palm beach is quickly earn being the title winter white house. it is a storied estate steeped in history. thanksgivings here. but now as president-elect, everything is different. >> it is absolutely magical. it the the most beautiful place in the world. >> reporter: tony knows a thing or two about mar-a-lago, donald trump's palm beach, florida estate. he worked there for half a century up until 2009. for more than 20 years as the trump family's personal butler. >> this one i like. >> reporter: but the situation at mar-a-lago is about to

>> it's just mr. trump and miss melania and myself. excuse me. president-elect trump. got to get used to that. >> reporter: mar-a-lago is soon to become a very opulent winter white house, or as some speculate, because of its color, the pink white house. >> it's so great to be at mar-a-lago with friends and the press and the media and everybody. >> reporter: the 20-acre estate has built was a w for u.s. presidents by marjorie post. now some say it is the most valuable parcel of land anywhere in floored. much of the 126-room estate is used by the members-only mar-a-lago club which includes a spa, pool, and tennis courts. the trump family maintains private quarters in a separate closed off area of the house. mar-a-lago has always been a center of attention in wealthy palm beach, at times something of a party place. hundreds of celebrities have made their way there to mingle

but now as president trump, residents are not quite sure what to expect. >> i think it will bring a lot of attention, a lot of tourism. so it's a bit of a double-edged sword, i suppose. >> we'll see how it goes. it is a welcome presence, just as long as it is not too bad traffic wise. >> we have a wonderful picture. >> reporter: this is the curator of the palm beach county historical society. he's seen this before. >> he's not our first president in palm beach. >> reporter: presidentav been escaping washington winters and spending time in florida for decades. the kennedys, and nixon had a house on key biscayne. now it will be president trump's time in the sunshine state. >> we are starting to clocks things on the trump presidency, just like for the kennedy presidency. >> reporter: last year trump made almost $16 million from

financial disclosure statement. >> i can just see mrs. post smiling because it's become what she always wanted it to be. its time has come. >> reporter: as you can imagine, the security has been ramped up. the coast guard patrolling the waters around the estate. the faa has restricted airspace for as long as mr. trump is in town. willie? tamron? >> that will be a fortress from now on. a new record set for the highest ever basketball drop. we'll show you. but first, tatar, tot and the president.

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let's check in with dylan who's in the orange room for carson today. happy thanksgiving, dylan. >> happy thanksgiving, guys. good morning, everyone. you know what? on wednesday president obama participated in a long cherished tradition -- the presidential turkey pardon. he chose between two turkeys, tatar and tot. in the end both were pardoned but tot received the highest honor. noticeably absent from obama's eighth and final pardoning, instead his nephews were by his head. he said his daughters were fed up with his turkey puns. >> for the past seven years, i've established another tradition -- embarrassing my daughters with a cornycopia of dad jokes about turkeys. this is the last time we're doing this because we're not aving any room for leftovers. because it is wednesday

people in a fowl mood. when somebody at your table tells you you've been hogging all the side dishes and you can't have any more, i hope you respond with a creed that sums up the spirit of a hungry people -- yes, we cran. >> i got up to four, five in just that short little clip. i have a feeling sasha and malia were a bait embarrassed yet again. but social media proved otherwise. heidi tweets that turkey pardoning speech w potus, did you rehearse these puns or just wing it? >> tamron and i agree that sasha and malia were the best part of the turkey pardoning. we miss them rolling their eyes. >> as we do with al roker every day. >> dylan, thanks. if you're a little behind on your cooking with a crowd on the way in a couple of hours, katie lee has last-minute dishes you

action leading up to the macy's thanksgiving day parade. first, your local news. when you notice dry skin, try johnson's new extra moisturizing wash and cream. a rich nourishing bath routine. with ten times more moisturizer. so you can notice other things mom,

there are some people you should give underwear to this holiday. and there are some people you shouldn't . ha ha, nay. you shouldn't give underwear to everybody. but for those you do, give them fruit of the loom. ?? if you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla (apremilast). it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable after just 4 months, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. otezla may increase the risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop.

your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if you're pregnant or planning to be. ask your dermatologist about otezla today. otezla. show more of you. ? get up for black friday. walmart. in our house, imagination runs wild. but at my table, i keep the food real. like country crock's recipe made with real simple ingredients. and no artificial flavors or preservatives. real country fresh taste from real ingredients.

an iowa man could spend up to 25 years in prison for robbing a bank. brandon brown admitted stealing more than four- thousand dollars

brown showed a weapon and pointed it at a bank employee. this morning, there are still many questions about what happened to a two- year-old girl found by herself in wright county. the girl was found in the town of galt wearing pajamas and no shoes. authorities were able to identify her and she's now with human services. the sheriff says calls from the public helped as they tried to identify the girl and her family -- but no new information about the child's parents has been released. rachael is here now with your 7 weather team. see the screen information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team: happy tracks to the east later today, there will be very little good morning, it's 8:26...

no more games, jerry. you saw the deal and hustled to u.s. cellular to get yourself the samsung galaxy s7 maybe. "maybe," jer-bear? hmm? got your phone and your $500 and put it under your own tree. that's your writing! you after santa's job? it was a one-day deal. sorry, santa. it's no crime to gift yourself. get a samsung galaxy s7 this friday

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, parade preparations. matt, al and savannah have a front row seat to all the action as security is stepped uplo ang the route and the party gets under way. we'll get a special sneak peek. plus, thankful for. >> i want to be a fashion designer, and also want to be a world champion gymnast. >> jenna catches up with a young cancer survivor and is now giving back to those who saved her life. black friday's breakdown. while some retailers are keeping

thanksgiving, others aren't. we'll tell you what you need to know before you venture out, thursday, november 24th, 2016. >> happy thanksgiving from the girl scouts of southern alabama! >> happy thanksgiving! >> happy thanksgiving to u.s. navy! >> happy turkey day, michigan! >> all the the wait from kentucky celebrating thanksgiving on the "today" show! >> happy thanksgiving from these turkeys from north carolina! woo! ?? welcome back to "today" on this thanksgiving morning. a great crowd braving a little bit of a cool morning.

thanksgiving. >> how many of you are heading to the parade after this? >> oh, my gosh! >> grateful that you stopped by on your way. coming up, if you're just rolling out of bed and you remembered that you have a crowd coming over -- what's wrong with you? guess what? we've got three delicious last-minute recipes. and katie lee is here. she's a life saver. she's going to answer all your so send them in. we're lucky to have katie with us. but first let's check in with matt and savannah about 15 blocks south of here down in herald square getting ready for the 90th macy's thanksgiving day parade. >> hey, guys. this is the time of the morning where we just run off our facts and figures of the 90th macy's parade. i'll start. >> we want to just show off our knowledge. >> 16 giant balloons. >> that's right. we've got 27 floats.

great valley marching eagles who came through our studio yesterday. sara mclaughlin, tony bennett. >> we're hearing rehearsal from a broadway show, "paramore." which is a cirque de soleil show. more than 1,000 cheerleaders. >> they inflated those balloons on night. ta a average to inflate them. the parade route today, 2 1/2 miles. that's a long way if you are marching in a parade. think back to the very first parade, it was a six-mile route. that was a commitment back then. >> what was it like? >> oh! and the hits keep coming. >> i went all morning without in he 90-year jokes. >> speaking of throwbacks -- felix the cat. we had him on the plaza this week.

he's back this year being handled with poles as opposed to ropes because there's very little helium. >> exactly. they're doing a real retro things. temperatures the 90th year. we are celebrating this grand tradition. guys, we'll see you in about an hour. >> be on the look out. my high school from texas is marching in the parade. look out for poly high school. >> they "t"s on their jerseys? >> the 90th annual macy's thanksgiving parade begins here at 9:00. now it is time for the news at 8. we begin this morning with a new thanksgiving day message from president-elect donald trump. i'm ron allen at the white house. mr. trump will take a break from putting together the team that will take over here in less than 60 days.

president-elect is urging the nation to move past what he called a very bruising election campaign. >> it's my prayer that on this thanksgiving we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country. >> reporter: president-elect donald trump noting the raw emotion in the nation won't heal overnight. >> now begins a great national campaign to rebill our country and to restore the full promise of america for all of our people. >> reporter: mr. trump also reaching out to a wider array of oi cabinet. trying to make it more diverse. naming south carolina governor nikki haley, an indian-american, u.s. ambassador to the united nations. haley was very critical of mr. trump during the campaign. >> a man that chooses no the to disavow the kkk, that is not a part of our party. that's not who we want as president. >> reporter: last week after meeting with him, changing her tune. >> i did vote for him. and i was absolutely thrilled to see him win. >> reporter: the pick raising

governor has enough foreign and diplomatic experience for the job. supporters pointing out her husband is a reserve officer who served in afghanistan. >> i think you'd find that military spouses all pick up a lot about the world, a lot about america's commitments abroad. >> reporter: to run the nation's education system, another woman. betty devos, a billionaire republican donor. also once a trump critic. known as a strong advocate for school choice, winning praise from former florida governor bush and scorn from some teachers unions. >> we are so surprised that president-elect trump would actually pick someone who is so theologically opposed to public schools. >> reporter: and in a sign of what mr. trump may face once he takes office, leading congressional democrats trying to turn up the pressure, calling for a federal review of the president-elect's use of taxpayer funds in the transition and asking whether mr. trump's

conflict of interests, especially with foreign government. the president-elect insisting he is no longer in charge of his business. >> i don't care about that business. i'm phasing that out now and handing that to eric trump, don trump and ivanka trump, for the most part. >> reporter: questions will no doubt exist because of mr. trump's extensive business dealings. on this holiday he'll try to. you the that all aside and celebrate the occasion with his family at their home in florida. we are being hold not to expect any more presidential appointments or nominations until perhaps friday. >> ron allen, thanks shattering night for cleveland's kevin love. cavaliers forward on fire. single-handedly love outscored the trail blazers in that quarter. love ended up with 40 points but his 34 in the first quarter set an nba record. by the way, the cavs won game. for the first quarter he was on

ended with 40. he really tapered off there. coming up, ice cream for breakfast. why one scientist, and hopefully more, will agree that it is the way we should be starting our day with dessert. >> i like that science. and smiling miley. what the singer's fiance, liam hemsworth did to put that big grin on her face. and shopping from the

attention pups and people! the toys"r"us black friday sale starts thursday at 5pm. this is how fast you should get in here! the black friday sale starts thursday at 5pm with 40% off doorbusters till midnight. like barbie, paw patrol, and lego sets! in store only. toys"r"us ...awwwesome! you are gonna love this place. i'm more of a milkshake guy. then i'd say expand your horizons. i'm very open-minded! no no, expand your horizons. it's the name of a smoothie. yeah, i see they have bee pollen. two of my favorite allergies. trust me, john grows half this stuff in his own backyard. two of my usuals, please. add spirulina. is that a... noodle? it's his first time. mmm. that's almost as good as a milkshake. cheers! get together and shop small on small business saturday. small business saturday is our day to get out and shop small. a day to support our community and show some love for the people we love. and the places we love. the stuff we can't get anywhere else

rowing. this saturday is small business saturday. let's shop small for our neighborhood, our town, our home. get up, (all) get together and shop small. i was once with verizon, not anymore. sprint's reliability is now within 1% of verizon. and sprint will save you a ton. can you hear that? (vo) don't let a 1% difference in network reliability for people with hearing loss,

grandma is so happy to be here for your very first christmas. i hear you're quite the expert at waking people up in the morning. let me show you how grandma does it. your daddy made this when he was a little boy. this is your dad at my house, where he had his first christmas. thanks for making the coffee. well look who's up. i'm really glad you're here mom. me too. look who's here! we are back now at 8:11. it is time to "trend" with our

>> having ice cream for breakfast. >> it is thanksgiving, thinking about turkey and gravy. but if you want to start your morning off right, you know what you got to have for breakfast? ice cream. by the way, now it is science. one professor at a university in tokyo carried out a series of clinical trials. he says his results prove that eating ice cream immediately after waking up improved people's alertness and mental performance. >> i love this okay? some experts are skeptical but previous studies have shown the positive effect ice cream can have -- we're going to ignore the skeptical scientists today. >> any particular flavor? >> cookies and cream is a good one, i think. >> i'm happy. >> i'm chocolate peanut butter, the greatest flavor combination of all time. >> get in here! >> only if i get to have some of your cookies and cream. >> what are we supposed to tell

and they say, well, there is a scientist in tokyo that says different. >> isn't it good? it's so good. >> you just had an epiphany, didn't you? think of the reese's peanut buttercup. >> i'm so happy now. >> are you alert now? >> i am. let me read. >> better than coffee. >> i'm so alert, i'm ready to think about this. all the things you do in front of your dog. right now m screamed at that sentence. you may not think the dog is paying attention but a new study says think again. researchers in hungary have shown dogs have a pretty good memory, especially when if comes to remembering everything their owners do. your dog looking at you right doing.ll remember what you're tracy, our production manager is here with quincy. what was the last thing quincy saw you do -- no be with i'm

he's very smart. >> traumatized. >> no. >> just aware. >> do you want to share anything about mae love? >> if mae love could write a book -- and then! i can't believe it! >> what's boss seen late lay? >> probably peeing with the door open. >> wow. wow. happy thanksgiving. >> come if you're home by yourself. >> you close the door even when you are a he home alone? >> quincy, i'm sorry. you deserve so much better. >> sorry, quincy! earmuffs. we've got some japanese science, hungarian science. we've got an incredible basketball trick shot to show you. no science here. doesn't even come from an nba star. it is from an australian man. he set the guinness world record for the highest basketball shot. his name's derek.

dam in the swiss alps and drains it. >> what? >> 593 feet. he made this shot on just his third attempt. a lot of people say what's up with the video, is it real? is this doctored? it's been certified a world record by guinness. >> we know the folks at guinness. they don't mess around. they really stick to the rules. >> only three tries? >> made it on his third try. >> i can't make it when i'm standing right under dylan, you got "popstart!" for us. >> let's begin with the most creative band on planet, the guys from ok go. nope for their mind blowing videos, defying gravity on an airplane and staging some pretty stunning choreography. check out the latest video for their song "the one moment." this video is about four minutes long but all of the action was

yes. 4.2 seconds. here's how they did it. cameras captured the more than 300 little scenes that you see her. then it was all slowed down to synchronize with the song. some the shots were slowed down by 20,000%. it is insanely complicated but just like other ok go videos, this was all shot in just one take. i watched it for the first time yesterday. it was incredible. now to one of the most private couples in hollywood, miley cyrus miley celebrated her 24th birthday yesterday. happy birthday. so on instagram liam shared this photo saying happiest birthday to my favorite little angel. miley shared her own photo sharing the rainbow ring she got. her caption, you always know how to make my grubby little kid fingers shine. and another foe show where she called this the best birthday ever. finally gwyneth paltrow sharing what she's thankful for this thanksgiving and that's

yesterday gwyneth posted a photo on instagram showing their 10-year-old son moses giving chris a big bear hug. that's your "popstart!." >> good message on thanksgiving. >> the best divorced couple ever. >> doing it for the kids. let's get a check of the turkey day forecast from al. he's at the beginning of the parade with a very special guest. hey, al. >> hey. one of our money lewis. i got bills, you got a turkey hat. >> i didn't get to eat any yet. i was like, you know? i'm going to bring it with me. you know? >> is this your first parade? >> this is. my first one. >> excited? >> excited. super excited. >> one of the things we are all thankful for are our moms. >> definitely. >> you're going to be performing your song "mama." >> yeah. my mom cooked always -- she always held the family down,

we all came together. it's appropriate. >> the other thing you're thankful for, you are working with some great artists. >> yeah. i have some new projects i'm working on with other people and some music from me coming the end of the year an beginning of the next year. >> working with pit bull, flo rida -- >> yes. i got a song out with pit and flo right now. >> listen, you know we love you. happy thanksgiving. always good to see you. >> >> lunch money lewis. this thanksgiving, who's paying the bills? >> macy's. >> there you go!with another chm

show is next and we'll be back in >> and that is your latest weather. but of course, we got football coming up! that's right. something to be thankful for! thursday night, "football night in america." the steelers coming in to the colts, lucas oil stadium in indianapolis. the 40s. it's a domed stadium, but what the heck? you're thankful for that. and even if you're tailgating, it's perfect weather tonight at 8:00. the steelers at the colts on thursday night, "football night in america". i love listening to my voice like that. >> we know. >> we gave you a little extra echo on thanksgiving, al. thank you.

"thanks and giving" series about the life saving work being done at st. jude's children's research hospital. >> we first met lauren ten years ago. she was just learning how to walk again and now she's blossomed into a competitive gymnast and a budding fashionista. >> reporter: 12-year-old lauren lewis has reason to strut her stuff. little fashionista sees life in living color and has big dreams for the future. >> i want to be a fas designer and also want to be a gymnast. that's my dream. >> reporter: there was a time when they weren't sure she'd live beyond her second birthday. this month marks ten years lauren will be cancer-free. >> we had no idea that we would be sitting here talking to you about lauren and for her to be as active as she is is a

where we'd be, unimaginable. >> reporter: at 16 months lauren was diagnosed with stage 4 neuro blastoma, a tumor of immature nerve cells outside the brain. a cancer so serious, lauren lost the ability to walk. doctors immediately sent the family to st. jude children's research hospital. seeing the condition of it and what they say, figured st. jude was the best place. >> it is much more common for tumors along the spine actually to have permanent neurologic deficits to where they can't walk. >> when first diagnosed, lauren's tumor was the size of a grapefruit and wrap around her tiny spine. after radiation, surgery was needed to remove the shrunken tumor. it was an operation the family dreaded. they'd already lost their infant son, matthew, on the operating table a few years before. he was born with a heart defect. >> it was tough because last

to a surgery, the child didn't come back to us. >> reporter: the operation was a success but lauren's future still seemed bleak. she was given a 30% chance of surviving treatment. 30%. >> reporter: despite the odds, the lewises turned towards their faith and decided to treat lauren like a normal child and her love of fashion began. >> every day we dressed her in her regular ot she was in the hospital. >> yes. my mom did get me dressed in pretty hats and pants and shoes. and i think maybe that's what makes me get into fashion. >> reporter: and now the little girl who once lost her ability to walk is competing and excelling in gymnastics. she continues to amaze her doctors at st. jude and thanks to newer treatments, the survival rate for neuro blastoma

with a similar presentation to lauren to have as much as a 70% chance. >> reporter: lauren doesn't recall much about her cancer but she's considered a survivor and goes back to st. jude once a year for check-ups. >> how's your health now? >> oh, i feel great. >> you're 100% healthy? >>y he. >> that's so good. >> reporter: now living life, lauren uses her passions to give back to the place she thinks saved hers. with her mom and sister, kennedy, created and annual >> i use fashion to help raise money for st. jude. then we have a contest for young fashion designers. >> whatever lauren wants to do with be we expose her to it. i think the fashion will probably always be with her. i'm excited to see what it is that she's going to do. >> the next ten years, right? >> yes. >> marlo thomas is the national outreach director for the st. jude children's research hospital. good morning.

i love her. it wouldn't have happened without st. jude. we use these treatments of intense chemotherapy, cancer immunotherapy which st. jude is a pioneer in and which tricks the immune system into attacking its own cells, the cancer cells. and just wipes it out. and also a bone marrow transplant. >> we heard lauren's mom talk about a 30% chance of survival at that time. now it is 70% as we sit here what's also amazing is that she simply would not have lived if it hadn't been for st. jude. most families can't afford to pay for this. she was two years treated at st. jude. daily clinic visits. surgery, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, not to mechanics what it would cost to stay in a hotel and travel and food. no family could afford to pay for it. st. jude does that ourselves. then it gives the parents a chance not to worry and to just focus on their child.

we talk about st. jude. no family pays. to wrap your mind around that is incredible. >> i know. no. that's the promise my dad made and that's what we're so grateful. i mean on thanksgiving i'm thankful for the "today" because it really does allow us to reach out to families, let them know there is a place to go if, god forbid, they ever have such a situation. but also to help raise funds to pay for this because we don't have any paying customers. it is a really important service know about the great work you do at st. jude. >> we are grateful to be able to sit next to you every year and

today, as we fill up on turkey

their shopping basket. many get a jump start on the holiday shopping season, taking advantage of deals even before black friday is here. walmart and target kick off their in-store black friday sales at six tonight. best buy opens at five. other stores -- like menards -- are closed today, but open tomorrow morning for black friday at six a-m. in cedar rapids, police are protecting, but also serving meals for the holiday. officers from the police community actioe square meals. here are some pictures from facebook. green square meals serves hot meals to anyone in need. storm track seven meteorologist rachael is here now with your storm track seven 7 weather team. see the screen for your complete weather information. here is additional forecast thanksgiving, eastern iowa! most of the day will be dry for eastern iowa. high pressure move in. the second system is close enough that there will be we'll be back in 30 minutes, be sure to

welcome back. 8:30 now on this thanksgiving morning, the 24th of november, 2016. and, boy, oh boy, do we have a huge crowd out here, waving to friends and family back home. do you get turkey today? >> no, no turkey today. >> tomorrow? >> yes. >> you come back tomorrow, i'll bring you leftovers. >> thank you! >> these people are going to be heading out to the parade route in just a second. we'll check in with al there in

also ahead, last-minute shopping tips on what you need to know before you start spending, like how to avoid the mall all together and save some money online this year. and katie lee has a quick pumpkin cake and some side dishes that will fill out your thanksgiving meal. plus we'll catch out with 94 years young betty white who is not slow down. but first, al's up town in the parade fray with one final check of the weather. >> also >> announcer: "today's" thanksgiving day parade weather is sponsored by verizon. look who we've got with us? one of our faves, miss sara mclaughlin joining us. >> good morning. happy thanksgiving. >> one of the things we're thankful for is you have a holiday album coming out called "wonderland." >> yes. this is my first in ten years. i'm so happy to be here to promote that and be part of this amazing iconic parade.

next week for the christmas tree lighting. >> on november 30th. that's right. so i get to be here for a week. i'm going to go see "hamilton" as well. i'm so, so lucky. >> besides that, what are you thankful for that year? >> i'm thankful for my beautiful children. i have the most amazing friends and family. and my life in general. i'm so blessed. i feel so lucky every day that i get to wake up and do something i absolutely love. >> it is so great having you here in the parade. >> happy to be >> thanks so much. let's check your weather. as we look for today, we expect to see some showers, some mountain snows in the pacific northwest. snow moving out of the northern new england. plenty of sunshine from the southwest, gulf coast, on into florida where there may be a few showers in central florida. and that is your weather. with another check of your storm

thanks for joining us, the today show is next and we'll be back in 25 minutes with more news and weather. have a great day. >> don't forget, get that weather any time you need it. go to th w cable. and if you can't get here to the parade, we've got a special experience for you from our friends at verizon. get a 360 view -- i love clowns -- 360 view of the parade no matter where you are. just go to verizon's youtube channel. clowns. guys? >> al, thank you. now if you're rushing to get your turkey in the oven so that you can head to the mall today,

relax. let's breathe it out. nbc's black friday has eased up a little bit. jo ling kent is here. >> happy thanksgiving. we've been telling you about great deals out there all week but there has been some pushback on all the shopping when it comes to thanksgiving day itself. dozens of major stores saying a big "no, thanks" to being open on turkey day. it really all comes down to the bottom line. >> reporter: the crush of the holiday shopping season seems to start earlier and earlier every year. lines and mobs taking over thanksgiving day before the but this year more than 50 national retailers are pushing back, shutting their doors on thanksgiving day. costco, rei, home depot, ikea, even the mall of america putting up the closed sign. yet our big brands are doubling down, macy's, best buy, target and kohl's, throwing open their doors earlier than ever on turkey day. sales dropped 12.5% last year giving some retailers good

day off. >> they're listening to their customers, monitoring where people like to shop and when and for what and they are making business decisions around that. >> this mall manager will get to stay home for thanksgiving for the first time in four years. >> i don't have to leave my own party early. >> reporter: but stores that are staying open see a huge opportunity to steal your foot traffic from their competitors as they face the end of a weak year in retail. nearly 6 in overall sales are expected to rise by 3.6%. and stores that open on thanksgiving are pulling out all the stops to lure you in. jcpenney opens at 3:00 p.m. and will give away $500 coupons at the door. toys "r" us opening at 5:00 p.m. and will stay open for 30 hours straight. sears is angling for your wallet with 50% off washers and dryers. battling for your every dollar this holiday season.

only 23% of americans plan to shop in store this black friday. the rest shopping online. from the comfort of the couch, jo is here with five tips that we can all use. black friday and beyond. let's launch into tip number one. >> you you should know that your shopping cart is your best friend online. put all your stuff in now, wait a couple of days. maybe wait until tomorrow, black friday or midnight tonight or even cyber monday. then log out. when you log back in and your stuff is sn get another 20% off coupon, you may get free shipping and extra perks. >> smart! >> next we want to talk but about searching with different devices. we all got the tablet and phone and laptop, desktop. search on different devices. if you bought your last pair of shoes on your phone, your search history is what the retailer is looking at. you might get a deeper discount if you look on your laptop or computer.

>> we all have our favorite stores. some people's favorite store is amazon. maybe it pays to join prime. you can also join frequent clubs for bloomingdale's, gymboree. you may get points or a free purchase later. or maybe a deeper discount if you are already a member of amazon prime. >> buy in bundles. >> you can buy in bundles electronics. saou want to buy a couple of electronic devices, sometimes they'll throw in an extra game or gift card. take those and either give it to the person that you got on your list or split up gifts, then you have saved yourself a few bucks. >> last, but not least, download the apps. >> this comes with caution. when you go into the store, sometimes when you connect to the in-store wi-fi you get an extra discount when you are operating inside et app.

it is official so you aren't putting your payment into something that might get hacked. >> we were both saying we love

this morning on our series "today living legends," betty white. >> al had a chance to chat with the 94-year-old about her extraordinary life and a career that's lasted more than seven decades. he's uptown with more. hey, al. >> reporter: hey, guys. she is still going strong. i had the pleasure of sitting down with betty at her favorite restaurant, pacific dining car, in santa monica and she served

of fun. betty, thanks for joining us for breakfast. this is awful nice of you. >> you think this is enough food for us? you think we can make out? >> this is yurgs. y yours. i haven't ordered yet. >> dear cryptic, bashful, dirty-minded lou. >> reporter: from the "mary tyler moore show." >> sometimes life just isn't fair, >> i always wondered who is betty like? sue ann nivens or rose? >> i haven't a clue! i would probably say sue ann. >> she was a feisty one. >> well, she liked men. >> yes. she was a bit of a -- >> so does betty. >> betty does, too? >> yes. yes. it's kind of a hobby of mine.

>> oh. >> reporter: "hot in cleveland" ended just last year after a six-season run. >> betty white! >> reporter: and in 2010, crowned the darling of late night tv when she became the oldest host of "saturday night live." >> i'm 88 1/2 years old. well, it's going to be here for a number of reasons. >> here he are, over 70 years in the business. and you're more relevant today than you probably have ever >> oh, you're very kind. but thank you. i never take it for granted. >> you look like you're enjoying yourself. >> oh, it is such fun! how can you not enjoy it? >> do you have any plans to slow down or retire? >> why? no. ? it's time to say hello again ?? >> reporter: she began her career in the '50s. >> well, i don't intend to get

by rail. >> reporter: producing and performing in etch asks and game shows like "password." >> what are your plans for the summer, betty? >> well, i'm going to do some -- what did you have in mind? >> reporter: marrying its host, allen ludden who she calls the love of her life. but it wasn't until she began hosting the macy's day parade that she became a household name. tell me how you see the o >> it was a privilege to be allowed to work at that time. >> there were very, very few female producers, writers, directors. >> or even on camera. it was a man's world. >> have you cooked the lobster yet? but allen's been looking forward to a lobster dinner. what do you think is the secret between the best relationships? whether they're professional or personal? >> kindness. you don't say the hurtful thing,

upset. because that sticks. that sticks around. or that just chips off a little of the other guy's self-esteem. >> what's your fountain of youth? >> my work with animals. i think everybody should cultivate a passion. don't be afraid to really get hooked on something. because that will refurbish your energy. it will refurbish your interest. >> you mentioned earlier on that men are a do you still date? >> nobody asks me. who's going to want to ask out a 93-year-old girl -- 94-year-old woman? it just doesn't happen. >> 94-year-old guy. >> oh. how old are you? i love betty white. everybody loves betty white. if there is one thing to be thankful for this thanksgiving,

>> we love her. >> we love your life, al. you get to hang out with the best people. >> al, have fun on the parade. we'll talk to you. >> you, too. happy thanksgiving, guys. >> happy thanksgiving to you, al. katie lee's go-to last-minute thanksgiving dishes for all you procrastinators out there.

we're back with more of our special series "today food all-star thanksgiving." if you're short a dish or two for dinner tonight, don't panic. katie lee, co-host of "the kitchen" has recipes, both savory and sweet. we have a question this morning from rachel who asks is it too late at this point to defrost my turkey. >> if you don't mind eating dinner around 10:00 tonight. then maybe you are okay. you need to take the turkey and.

every 30 minutes change the water and count on 30 minutes per pound. it's going to take a while. if you have a big turkey, you might be eating thanksgiving tomorrow. >> it will be a late night party at rachel's house tonight. >> maybe pick up a rotisserie chicken. >> some of these great dishes you want to help us make quickly as we get ready. >> this is so simple. this is a cranberry relish. my mom's recipes. you don't even have to turn on stove. in thed fresh cranberries, orange defendants. take one of these microplane graters and just grate that orange zest. don't get into the white part. once you see that, then you're done with that part of the orange because that's the bitter. you just take your zest and put right in. then we've got a fresh orange here. i cut away the peel of the orange. then you're left with it like this. you just cut the sections is out.

going in. you put those in with your cranberries. then i've got celery, apples, walnuts. that all goes in. if you don't have walnuts, you can use almonds, hazelnuts. then we'll put the top on this. pulse it up. >> this whole things takes what? five minutes? >> its a he so quick to do. you get that all mixed up. then you add to it some sugar because those cranberries are so bit of orange liqueur. if you're making it form the kids, you can leave that out. >> takes the edge off the day a little bit. >> it does. right? relax a little bit. let that sit in the refrigeraor for at least a half-hour so that sugar melts in. if you forgot for cook your green beans, this is a real will i fast recipe and also really

food. i've got a shallot here that i sauteed. i'm going to add to that some sun-dried tomatoes. if you've go the some of those, throw those in. if not, you can leave them out. it is not crucial. then i took my green beans and put them in the microwave for like two minutes. that's kind of like blanching them. instead of putting in the in a pot of boiling water and shocking them with ice water, this will soften them up a little bit. at the end i love lemon juice and lemon zest. >> you love the zest. >> i'm zesty. watch out. a little salt and pepper. you just let that cook for a couple of minutes. this is also good room temperature. if you make it and let it sit on your buffet, that's fine. i like to top with a little bit of chopped almonds.

crunch. now the easiest cake you've ever made. a yellow cake mix and add to it a can of pumpkin. that's it. it is just the cake mix and the pumpkin. and some pumpkin pie spice. super simple. mix that up. put it into a greased bundt pan. cook according to package directions. then for a glaze, i just take some powdered sugar and heavy cream, whisk that together. if you don't h you can use orange juice or cranberry juice. it's really simple. shall we eat some of it? >> yeah. katie lee, this cake is amazing. your mama's cranberry recipe? mm. everyone, if you have this available to make today, you should. oh, my gosh! >> if you don't have real cranberries at home and just have dried cranberries zp.

they would just be a little too sweet and get all stuck together. you could mix some dried cranberries into it, if you like. >> i love the way you correct us without insulting us. >> use your dried cranberries in place of the sun dried tomatoes in the green beans. >> solutions. that's why we love you. happy thanksgiving. to get these recipes, head to today.com/food. we're back in a moment.

>> announcer: smucker's celebrates "today" is sponsored by smucker's. with a name like mucker's, it has to be good. we are celebrating thanksgiving in a special way around here. dylan is in the orange room with more. >> we certainly are. our viewers are sharing photos of the friends and family they are thankful for who also happen to be celebrating birthdays this month. around here, of course we are thankful for jenna and barbara bush who have a birthday tomorrow. happy early birthday to them. amanda just celebrated her husband's birthday. she says he's loving, patient and kind. all of this, and more, are the reasons i'm thankful for him. we can't get enough of this november birthday. emily's adorable daughter who just turned 1 this month and has the cake all over her face to prove it. keep those photos coming.

today.com/celebrates. i have to add my father-in-law's birthday is coming up in a couple of days, so happy birthday to him, too. we are sitting here talking about what to wear later at thanksgiving dinner? >> stretch pants. i also look for sweatpants that look like real pants. >> we need something with elastic? as you walk over. maternity pants? >> nothing uncomfortable. >> this is the w outfit stretches properly. >> you don't want to be the guy at the thanksgiving table just opens the belt and just sits back. >> as long as you're with family, you can unbutton. >> it is a compliment to the chef. >> we have a chef at the table. after all the turkey and trimmings, it is time for a little football. do not forget to tune in for thursday night football when the pittsburgh steelers take on the

back to linn county. a former substitute teacher involved in a sex scandal now wants a bench trial -- no jury. former cedar rapids wash teacher guilty -- but admitted having a relationship with a 17-year-old student when she was teaching at the school. she wanted her trial moved to another county because of the media coverage -- but since there's no jury now -- it will be in linn county again. it's scheduled to start monday. the big event will feature eastern iowa cheerleaders. the dubuque senior varsity team is set to perform. they're among 400 cheerleaders from all over the country there for the parade. we've heard they will perform

storm track seven meteorologist racahelis here now with your 7 weather team. see the screen information from the kwwl stormtrack 7 weather team: happy tracks to the east later today, there will be very little we'll be back in 30 minutes, be and low 40s. we'll be back in 30 minutes, be sure to no more games, jerry. you saw the deal and hustled to u.s. cellular

maybe. "maybe," jer-bear? hmm? got your phone and your $500 and put it under your own tree. that's your writing! you after santa's job? it was a one-day deal. sorry, santa. it's no crime to gift yourself. get a samsung galaxy s7 this friday

>> okay, people! today is macy's 90th thanksgiving day parade. this is gonna be great. let's see, we got balloons, floats, singers, dancers, dancing christmas trees trees? yes, of course. what's thanksgiving without the dancing christmas trees? well, looks like everything's ready. >> uh, scooter, you forgot one thing. >> what's that? >> cue the opening number. >> cue the opening number! ?? ? there'll be spectacle there'll be fantasy ? ? there'll be derring-do and stuff like you would never see ? >> hey, it's macy's thanksgiving day parade! >> starring ev-ery-body. >> and me! ? there'll be jugglers, clowns there'll be comedy ? and a lot