nobody puts baby in a corner. >> an unforgettable line that launched an unforgettable career. patrick swayze in the iconic "dirty dancing." today he is being remembered as a star on the walk of fame in hollywood and throughout the world after losing his 20-month-long battle with pancreatic cancer. he was just 57 years old. inside studio 1a on this tuesday morning, i'm matt lauer along with al roker and natalie morales. coming up in just a moment, much more on an actor that personified romance in the late 1980s and then again in the early 1990s with roles in that movie we talked about "dirty dancing" and "ghost." he worked almost really till the end of his life. we'll look back at his career in just a couple of minutes.

>> yeah, i think so many fans are very sad this morning to hear the news. and i know i feel like i grew up with him because those were the movies during my time. >> it's still kind of shocking to hear. >> yeah. also ahead, we've got a story about weight. >> that's right. obesity rates for kids between 6 and 11 years old have more than quadrupled over the last 40 years. "today" trainer jillian michaels will answer many of your questions including how to tackle the battle of the bulge early on. a healthy weight for your kids and how to fix the perfect healthy breakfast they'll actually want to eat. >> news you can use. also talking about kids a little later, we'll show you some of the best educational toys on the block. but first, since ann had to leave a little early on assignment this morning, let's get a check of the top stories. joe biden is in iraq on an unannounced visit. he's there to meet with iraqi leaders and u.s. troops. it's his third visit this year. the iraqi reporter who hurled

his shoes at president bush was released after nine months in prison. he says he was tortured and beaten during his first days behind bars. president obama speaks to autoworkers at a gm plant in ohio trying to assure americans that the economy is bouncing back. in new york on monday, the president warned wall street that taxpayers won't stand for reckless behavior and unchecked excess that could lead to another meltdown. investigators are now zeroing in on a yale university lab worker as the prime suspect in the murder of the graduate student annie le. sources tell nbc news the man who worked at the same lab as le has scratches on his chest and failed a lie detector test. last night students and faculty held a candlelight vigil in memory of le. authorities say no weapons or explosives were found monday when a terrorism task force raided three new york city apartments. federal agents were tracking a suspected al qaeda associate from denver who visited new york this week. new research suggests that those who contract the swine flu

are contagious for at least a week. the government had said that those infected with the virus should avoid contact with others for only one or two days after the fever breaks. and some amazing pictures out of china where a bus engulfed in flames was videotaped rolling down a highway. state television says the driver was able to safely evacuate all of the passengers before the bus became engulfed. that's truly remarkable story there. >> that is something you don't see every day. >> absolutely. thank goodness. three minutes past the hour and you're up to date. we want to turn our attention outside. >> mr. roker's outside with a check of the weather and some guests. al? >> that's right. thank you so much, al. today is international day of democracy. and the since international winners of a democracy video challenge are here. a worldwide competition to ask people about completing the phrase "democracy is." joining us now is the undersecretary of state, judith mchale, also with us, joining us are the six winners. why don't you say your names. >> my name is jesse.

>> my name is anna israel. >> i'm luke shulda. >> literally the united nations here, madam undersecretary. tell us, what was this challenge? >> we are constantly looking for new ways to reach out and engage with people around the world. and we felt that democracy provided us a unique opportunity to use media, to reach out. and we asked people to enter a competition and submit their ideas of democracy. we were overwhelmed. we got over 900 videos from over 95 countries. and it sparked an incredible online debate about democracy and what it means. >> what do the contestants win? >> they win a prize to the united states, to new york and los angeles. of course, because this is about democracy, they're also going to washington, d.c. >> and being with me is second prize. you guys did wonderful work. thank you so much. if peel want to see the videos, where do they go? >> youtube/democracychallenge and find out how to enter the

second competition which we'll be announcing later today. > >> we are going to see a high of about 84 to 85 degrees prepare the cloudy skies, winds generally light and out of the west. plenty of sunshine on the beaches as well. and that's your latest weather. natalie? >> al, thank you. and now to the passing of an american icon. he was a trained dancer, a prolific actor and a fighter until the end. patrick swayze died at the age of 57 on monday with his family by his side. nbc's george lewis has more. ♪ and i owe it all to you

>> reporter: swayze leapt into hollywood stardom in 1987 with "dirty dancing," a role of a lifetime that he had been preparing for since he was a kid in houston. his mother, patsy, is a famous dance choreographer who trained patrick for ballet at an early age. he met his wife of 33 years, lisa niemi, when at age 15 she began taking lessons at his mother's studio. after his dancing ability led to broadway, swayze landed tv and movie roles, playing young, tough guys in "the outsiders" and "red dawn." on the tv series "m.a.s.h.," he had a brief role as a dying soldier. >> i don't know much about leukemia, but i know there's no cure. >> reporter: then came his big break. >> good. now roll this way. >> reporter: in "dirty dancing," swayze got to show off the moves he learned as a teenager and his acting chops as well. >> nobody puts baby in a corner. >> "dirty dancing" is a movie

that really is a touchstone for a generation. so he'll always be remembered for that. >> reporter: it catapulted swayze onto hollywood's "a" list and the title of sexiest man alive in 1991. >> it's absolutely flattering to me. it makes me feel great and opens doors in my life and makes people keep coming to my movies. >> reporter: he could still play the tough guy in movies like "road house." but he was able to show his sensitive side in romantic roles like "ghost." ♪ wait for me >> reporter: and he wasn't afraid to make fun of himself. swayze's chippendales skit with chris farley still ranks as one of the all-time funniest moments on "saturday night live." a self-described seeker, swayze was always looking for spiritual direction from catholicism to scientology and finally buddhism. as his star power faded in the '90s, swayze turned to his other passion, training show horses.

throughout his life he struggled with bouts of binge drinking and a heavy smoking habit. >> and now please welcome patrick swayze. >> reporter: in january of 2008, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and received a standing ovation on the "stand up to cancer" live television special. >> tonight i stand here, another individual living with cancer. >> if i leave this earth, i want to leave this earth knowing i've tried to give something back and tried to do something worthwhile with myself. and that keachs keeps me going. >> reporter: after months of rard yags and chemotherapy, swayze was in chicago to play the lead in an a&e television series called "the beast." >> you can trust your damn case trial and you can trust me. >> my work is what i do. it's my legacy. >> reporter: it would be his last major role. >> i'd love by the time i die to have a career like spencer tracey, gene kelly, dustin hoffman and robert deniro

wrapped into one. ♪ i had the time of my life >> reporter: and as patrick swayze was having the time of his life on the screen, he managed to light up the lives of his many fans. for "today," george lewis, nbc news. los angeles. and among those honoring the life of patrick swayze is whoopi goldberg, his co-star in "ghost." and she issues this statement. patrick was a really good man, a funny man, and one to whom i owe much that i can't ever repay. i believe in "ghost's" message, so he'll always be here. and here with more on patrick swayze is kate coin, "people's" senior editor. good to see you. >> hi. >> if patrick only did the two roles, "ghost" and "dirty dancing," that would have cemented his reputation, right? >> absolutely. i mean, most actors in hollywood are lucky to get one iconic role. and he really had two. >> yeah. and his co-star in "dirty dancing," jennifer grey, released a statement as well. she writes about the two sides of swayze, that he had a raw

masculinity and an amazing grace. where did that come from? was that his upbringing? >> it really does epitomize who he is because he was a cowboy who could dance. i mean -- >> dad with a rodeo -- >> his dad was a rodeo cowboy and his mom a dance instructor. really, it's hard to imagine anyone else in "dirty dancing" because that is absolutely who he was, a guy with plenty of swagger, plenty of macho sensibility, and yet a very tender, graceful side as well. >> he had other movies, road house, the outsiders, point break, he did some theater as well. but he also had a really amazing ability to make fun of himself. i think the clip we were all laughing at in george lewis' spot is when he plays a chippendale dancer on the "saturday night live" skit with chris farley. it cracks me up every time i see it. >> it's hilarious still today. that was one of the wonderful things about patrick is he had an understanding of the fact that he was, you know, a big burly guy who danced, you know. he was a dancer. and that's not the manliest

thing to be in some respects but he was able to have fun with that. >> he was able to make it manly, made it very sexy. he did run into trouble early on in his life when he started to get really famous. you know, what happens there in marriage and life in general? >> there were periods of heavy drinking, heavy partying. and i think really any celebrity who achieves a level of fame that he did, not once, but twice, is bound to endure some pitfalls. what's really a testament to his character is the fact that he pulled through those with his marriage intact, with his sanity intact that really those battles just made him stronger. >> in fact, his wife, lisa niemi, really seemed to keep him grounded. she was his high school sweetheart, and they got married, and their marriage was pretty much rock solid. >> 30-plus years, one of the interesting things that came out of patrick's battle with cancer is people got to see a little bit more of lisa and just what a tough, strong lady she was. you know, she wasn't a sub

missive little thing. she really was an equal partner with patrick, and she was very much a part of his fight. >> and speaking of the fight, i mean, he battled so bravely, even though he was diagnosed 20 miss ago, during those months he was shooting a cable show. and he was doing his own stunts for a lot of them. >> oh, he just -- he did not stop. i mean, he was determined to go down fighting. and he wasn't going to let this illness take over his life. he kept on working. he kept on doing the things he loved. and that's really what he did right up until the very end. >> and he wrote a memoir, too, which i understand he was going to go out and talk about it. but obviously that can't happen. >> he had big plans for this book. and it's sad that he won't get to fulfill those plans. and yet it's at least comforting to know that that book is finished. and ideally the world will be able to see what he had been working on. >> soon to be released, then? >> ideally, yes. >> kate coin, thank you so much. good to have you here. >> thanks. and we'll be back with more after this. ♪

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today's health is brought to you by lyrica. >> this morning on "today's health," giving our kids a healthier life. 23 million children in america are overweight or obese. which means once unimaginable health problems like early onset heart disease and diabetes are now affecting our kids. as a parent we owe it to ourselves and our children to step in. jillian michaels, the best-selling author of "master your metabolism" and strength coach on nbc's "the biggest loser" is here to answer questions. jillian, good to see you. >> good to see you. >> i've got to tell you, 23 million children, that is a startling statistic. >> yeah. >> as parents, what role do we play in this? >> the biggest role. you know, you are your child's primary role model. so the example you set for them will last a lifetime for better or for worse. >> so we have to start early.

>> absolutely. >> all right. let's get going. we've got shelly from massachusetts on the phone. shelly, what's your question? >> caller: hi, jillian. according to the bmi scale, my 5-year-old daughter olivia is overweight, she is 3'9" and 50 pounds and doesn't look overweight to me. should i be worried? >> what about the bmi? >> the bmi is an outdated way of determining obesity because it doesn't take into account body composition. according to that, arnold schwarzenegger is obese. >> we're talking mass. >> absolutely. it's outdated. i was lucky enough to see a picture of your daughter earlier. and she looks like i did when i was a little kid. by no means obese, i'm now a healthy adult. keep your eye on her. get her into an activity that she can enjoy and make sure she's eating healthy foods. but only use positive reinforcement, and don't let her sense your concern. >> should you measure your child? is there some ratio? >> the best way to determine obesity is something called a

waist-to-hip ratio. you take a little tape measure, measure yourself just above the belly button and right around the widest part of your bummy. >> your bummy. >> your bummy, and then you essentially divide your waist by your hip, and that will give you a healthy measurement. you can use google. >> i was going to say, now i've got to do math. >> i know. the internet, there's a calculator on the internet. >> what's the ideal for a male, female? >> the ideal for female is .85. and i think for a man -- >> .9 or less. >> there we go. >> if you're at risk, it's 1 or higher for a male and .9 or higher for a female. >> exactly. >> now we've got a viewer on skype, crystal from lake forest, north carolina. good morning and what's your question? >> caller: hi, jillian. we would like to know, what's the perfect breakfast for kids? >> how cute. >> almost looks like bob the baby in the etrade commercial.

what a cutie. >> that's unbelievable. the perfect breakfast really is a combination of healthy carbs, protein and fat. you want to get all three macro nutrients in there. we have a few examples. organic yogurt with fresh berries, lowfat. then we've got whole grain cereal with either some organic milk or coconut milk which is a fantastic all determine pif because it has medium fatty acids, very healthy. and then a scrambled egg with whole grain toast. the real key is what not to feed your child, and that's refined sugars, enriched or processed grains, make sure that they're -- >> so those breakfast pastries probably not the best thing. >> we're going to pass on those. yeah. >> all right. thanks. what a cutie you've got there. >> if you ever need a sitter, let me know. >> don't call her. >> the clock is ticking. >> do not call her. >> i resent that. >> we've got an e-mail written by elhielliz beth who lives in

cincinnati. my 16-year-old daughter has always struggled with her weight since she was 9. she's 199 pounds, 5'4", poor body image and can't stay motivated to lose weight. how can i help her? >> tough question. first of all, with your kids, especially your teenagers, you want to make sure not to make an issue out of their weight. lead by example. take up exercise. have only healthy foods in the house. and then if your child or your teen approaches you, engage in a dialogue and ask them how they want to be helped. if they want a workout buddy, if they want help with recipes. and another thing you can do is engage them in positive stories of transformation. >> and this is not in any way to be, you know, blatant, but a show like "the biggest loser" is, in fact, really transformational. and there are great positive stories there. >> that is why the show is so powerful because people at home are identifying with the journey of the contestants. they see themselves and the contestants -- >> and not all -- not all win.

i mean, they have struggles. and they have setbacks. >> absolutely. and that's a part of life. and that's why our season is called "second chances" because everybody gets a second chance and a third. >> jillian michaels, so good to see you. >> thank you, al. >> catch more of jillian tonight on the season premiere of "the biggest loser" at 8:00/7:00 central here on nbc. still to come, toys your children will love and you'll love to buy. we'll tell you why. but first, these messages. ver. and i was so tender to the touch-- but i didn't know why. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia. and then he recommended lyrica... fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is fda-approved to help relieve the unique pain of fibromyalgia. so now, i'm learning what a day is like with less pain. lyrica is not for everyone. tell your doctor about any serious allergic reaction that causes swelling or affects breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight including blurry vision

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so did you hear, we're looking for "today's kid reporter." if you know an inquisitive kid, the music sounds like spanish inquisition, between the ages of 8 and 12 have what ta takes, have them report on any story they like. >> the video submission should be no longer than a minute and they should be mailed to "today's kid reporter," 30 rockefeller plaza, new york, 10112. the official rules posted on our website, todayshow.com. coming up in "today's kitchen," salmon and mushrooms, it's a law firm. the best way to tell how great you look... is in your jeans. drop a jean size in two weeks... with the special k challenge. with more delicious options than ever. jeans don't lie. go to...

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it pays to discover. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. a former d.c. teacher from howard county will spend the next 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a student. prosecutors said that 57-year- old, who taught about the young america works public charter school, committed offenses on paper boy in his home -- committed offenses on a boy in his home. police need your help in finding child sex offenders who failed to register with them. if you know where these men are, call state police. as the public service commission continues its hearing into up deal between

constellation energy and the french nuclear power company, the i team has uncovered an aspect of the bill that could impact your electric bill. the bond rating to suffer, which could result in higher electric rates. now let's look of the forecast with sandra shaw. >> partly cloudy skies, highs in the 80's. it is going to be pretty warm, warmer than normal. high pressure will hold up for dead. keep your eyes on the cold front to our north. it will start its descent to the south tonight. it will stall out throughout the area of the wall of the apostles of energy to ride along the boundary and bring showers. like last week, it will bring an end east of the maritime flow. -- bring an easterly maritime flow. chance of showers.

only 75. 71 on thursday. that will persist through friday as well. we are in the 70's for the weekend. looking awesome by sunday. >> thank you for joining us. another update at 9:55. hey, i'm worried about mrs. lowenberg next door.

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who will make this year's best dressed list? these are some of the famous faces from last year. we'll check out "people" magazine's picks for the best and worst dressed tomorrow on "today." sort of a double-edged sword. do you show up on both lists or neither? i know you've been -- >> bad public lis it'itpublicit. >> i know you've been best dressed. >> i have? you're on my best dressed list. coming up, jeffrey ross is known as the roast master general. he's insulted some of the -- >> cracking himself up! >> from pam anderson to bob saget to our own matt lauer. he's here. and we'd better watch out to see

who's in his sights. you do not want to be on the receiving end. >> i'm not doing that interview. you're doing it. also ahead, school is under way but that doesn't mean fun has to end. we'll check out some of the best educational toys just ahead. ow. that could hurt. also in "today's kitchen," we'll talk about the difference between wild and farm-raised salmon. i'm always so confused which one is a good one. >> one's on a farm and the other is out in the wild. >> what you should eat and what you shouldn't eat. >> i got you. >> he's going to show us a simple way to sear it. >> smells so good. >> if you like salmon at 9:00 in the morning. >> who doesn't? >> you have a check of the weather for us? >> let's show you what's going on for today. we're basically looking at sunshine. beautiful weather here in the northeast, great lakes, mid-atlantic states. pesky low-pressure system won't leave the southeast. a lot of rain coming. showers around the upper rockies. we're looking at sunshine? the pacific northwest. tomorrow, a little frontal system brings us showers into the northeast and mid-atlantic states. warm in the plains. hot in the southwest.

and rain continues in the southwhw >> almost summerlike trend today, as we will be up into the mid 80's. enjoy it while you can but we will see another change in our pattern and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. he's all yours. you. >> oh. >> coming up next, comedian jeff ross weighs in on everything. you can never be sure what you're walking into, until now! nice! with new air wick compact imotion,

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had it comes to comedy zingers, jeffrey ross is the roast master general. slinging memorable insults from everyone from pam anderson to bea arthur to our very own matt lauer. in fact, just last year at the friar's club roast, i was an eyewitness. take a look. >> matt lauer, you're one of my favorite television personalities, which is ironic because he doesn't even have a personality. matt lauer is so bland his nickname in high school was matthew lauer. who else could make al roker seem ghetto? >> and the gloves are off. >> jeffrey's new book is called "i only roast the ones i love." jeff ross, good to see you. >> great to see you, pal. >> you, too. okay. you know, you had a star-studded book warming at the friar's

club. you even brought abe vigoda back from the dead. >> you know abe. he said jeff ross keeps telling everybody i'm dead. the "today" show called and said, "are you dead?" >> thank you very much. did you know that abe was actually related to matt? >> is that right? >> take a look at this picture we have. >> really? oh, yeah. look at that. separated at death. >> so, you know, you're picking up the newspaper. you find your material everywhere. what are you thinking about these days? >> you know, it's all inspiration comes in. you know, the next great roast, i think, would be kanye west, don't you think? guy -- he loves to rain on people's parades. i heard he goes to little kid's birthday parties and throws the cake on the floor. >> all right.

so give me an idea, what makes a good roast? >> well, you need to -- the hardest part is finding somebody who's a good sport. you want somebody who can take a joke and somebody who has a lot to live up to. nothing to lose. for instance, we recently roasted joan rivers which was tricky because i never roasted a dead person before. i love joan. look at that. like the crypt keeper's grandma. i was going to write her a love poem, but i couldn't think of a rhyme for decrepit. >> tepid. >> joan rivers, if you google her, al, you can find her on craig's and schindler's list. >> oh! oh! wow! >> a good crowd at the "today" show. it all comes from a place of affection. i only roast the ones i love. >> there you go. when you roast, do you have to know your subject in that how far to go? >> yes. you have to be very careful

because i once roasted pam anderson, and courtney love, you know, i was there. and it was a benefit for peta, people for the ethical treatment of animals. i came out in a full fur coat. i said, "don't worry, it's not real. we just shaved bea arthur's back." and courtney love started attacking me. i didn't know what to do. it's a benefit for peta, maybe somebody would have a stun gun or something. i just couldn't get her to lay off me. i had to roast her into rehab. >> i was there when you were roasting matt. you did a line with aretha franklin. >> oh, yeah. >> what was the line? >> well, we had been sitting there for hours eating or chicken waiting for the show to start. i remember i was sitting right by you and that was the reason a aretha frank lynn, finally the show started, and i said, "never went to a show where the fat lady sings in the beginning." >> and she gave you a one-finger salute. >> she did. she was a great sport and she

sang that beautiful song. i think it was called "america the delicious." it's all in the book. >> you give some tips for a successful roast for people who want to roast. it's the new sport. >> exactly. >> so what are some tips for fledgling roastmasters? >> the trick is have confidence in your material. never apologize. there was a lady talking about apologies today. a roastmaster never apologizes. don't back down. stand by your material. and then it's also good to know a little self-defense. >> i was going to say. you were off "dancing with the sta stars" in record time. >> i got voted off during the first commercial break. i got a lower score than when heather mills' leg through off. i had the worst score in the show's history. it's true. cloris leachman beat me. she wasn't even dancing. her partner just dragged her body around the dance floor.

it was like "weekend at bernie's the musical." >> jeffrey ross, the book is "i only roast the ones i love." thank you, my friend. >> thank you, buddy. up next, how to put fun into learning. get the kids the book! but first, these messages. king it easier for bacteria to grow on your dentures? you are if you use toothpaste instead of soaking them in polident. toothpaste is abrasive on dentures look, scratches where bacteria can collect and grow and bacteria can cause bad breath that's why i recommend replacing toothpaste with polident. only polident is proven to clean without scratching and kills 99.9% of odor causing bacteria don't scratch your dentures clean use polident every day don't get the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin d?

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this morning on "today's family," the best educational toys with kids back in class, how can you reenforce their lessons without having them feel like they're in school all the time? stephanie has great ideas. stephanie, good morning. >> good morning, natalie. >> let's get to it because this is like a kid's heaven. >> that's right. >> really educational toys. >> the best thing parents can do is give their kids the love of learning. no matter what it is. and the way to do that is give them lots of opportunities to be successful and have fun. >> i love that there's not a single video game up here, too. >> throw away the flash cards for the a, b, cs. this is the dr. seuss super stretchy game. then you have to be super stretchy. you've got to put your hand on the "e" and your ear on the "t." >> kind of like twister. >> exactly. a great way to work on the a, b, cs. >> also leapfrog.

>> you want them to have a love of reading before they get to school. it's designed for kids 2 to 4. you load up the book text but also 100 other sounds onto this computer stylus and the kids can explore it with you or independently. >> great. bring it to life, too. absolutely. >> you know from your older son they love to tell stories even long before they can write their own. i love these new pads. they're write me a story pad. they come with wonderful illustrating stickers. they can write their own. you can also have them dictate you a story. take pictures from the summer, put them in a book and have them tell you a story. >> they have their own little book which is wonderful. for the scientist. >> science can happen, you know, with an avocado pit that you have on the kitchen counter. we've all done that. what i love to teach kids is all the things and gadgets we use -- >> where they come from. >> right. and they were invented by real people. one of the ways you can do that is introduce them to our great inventors. this is a pop-up based on leonardo da vinci's journal.

we need them to dream they're our next inventors. >> alexander graham bell. >> all the way from da vinci -- this has new software this year. >> that's cool. oh, my gosh. >> it's a little crazy but it's something kids are going to enjoy taking apart and putting back together. >> and parents will love helping them do it, i'm sure. >> history comes to life with this wonderful set from playmany. obil wi bchl playmobil. >> it's amazing. >> also in a step-by-step format. we live in an instantaneous world. and sticking with a task can be hard. doing that is with puzzles. this is an animal puzzle from briar patch with wonderful illustrations. look at it. it's seven feet long. >> that's great. this is beautiful. look at this. much like art. >> much more challenging, a good parent/child project 5 and up. again, if it's too frustrating

for your kids, get an easier puzzle. you want them to be successful. i don't know about you, i was pretty mapphobic. >> i am mapphobic, too. >> our kids love these polar bears. as they're playing, they're getting bigger math values. this is a dice game for the over 11 set. >> uh-oh, teach them how to gamble. not that way. >> you know what? no matter what game your kids play, let them be the scorekeeper. >> even counting the dice, my son has had so much fun. is this higher than that? that's fun to do. >> and building sets teach problem solving, spatial relations, but start small. don't buy the biggest set. have them have the success of building. we want our girls to be engineers and mathematicians. >> yep if. >> if this is the only way our daughters will build, bring them home the pink set. we usually don't recommendthat. >> and then over here, buildings and blocks. >> citiblocks, my new addictive

toy. it's made of wood from new zealand. and put it on the coffee table and see what people build. >> this is really great. stephanie oppenheim, thanks so much. great ideas here. next, we'll show you how to fix a simple salmon dish to wow your friends and family. it's horrifying! but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ for fresh deli taste, ( scanner beeping, music ) why pay for the whole deli? ♪ ( laughs, beeping ) price check on deli man. oscar mayer deli fresh shaved meats. great, fresh-from-the-deli taste... without the deli counter price. sliced, packed, and sealed at the peak of freshness. oscar mayer deli fresh. for the love of a great sandwich.

oe h today's's kitchen is brought to you by grands biscuits. it's calling. >> this morning in "today's kitch kitchen," you don't need to be a gourmet chef to prepare seared salmon and wild mushrooms. chef telly palmer, restaurant owner. he's a group. he's a mob.

>> the nuario. >> when does it open? >> tonight. >> tonight. all right. >> speaking of turn, we're going to turn that one over. >> that's right, turn, turn, turn. >> seared salmon. >> is that the difference in cooking salmon? >> exactly. see that nice crust on there? >> mm-hmm. >> that's what you're looking for. but it's so, so simple. >> now, before we get started -- >> yep. >> -- the difference between farm raised and wild salmon. >> you look at it right here. this is wild salmon. and when you go in the market and looking at the signs and talking to the fish monger, wild salmon is much more expensive, farm salmon i less expensive. people ask me all the time, what's the difference? first of all, farm-raised salmon in general has a lot more fat. you know, if you can afford wild salmon, always buy wild salmon. that's the best. farm-raised salmon now is getting much, much better. you know, the process and everything that they use and how they're feeding the fish continues to get better and better. let's face it, without farm-raised salmon -- >> we're going to run out. >> we have no more salmon in the

world. >> what are we making? >> salmon and wild mushrooms. fillet cut nice and thin. you can have your fishmonger do that. season it up nice, sea salt and cracked pepper. you want a nice kind of medium-hot pan. not too hot and that kind of thing. >> you don't want it cooked too thin. >> you don't want to overcook it either. i always say put it in the pan. we'll put one in there with it. >> what are you cooking with it? >> just a little canola oil. just a touch in the pan. >> that takes' higher heat? >> exactly. we want to get one started. this one we don't want to overcook. a lot of times people overcook. >> that's the big mistake with salmon? >> this literally takes two minutes. so you're in the pan. you're going to sear it nice. then we're going to get -- >> meantime you're making a mushroom ragu. >> mushroom, shallots, sweet butter. i'm going to add a little dry sherry, season it up, a little bit of sea salt. a little cracked pepper. and a little chiv. >> mostly when you guys come, you always use sea salt.

why sea salt? >> because sea salt, first of all, there's so many different types. each one has its own distinct flavor. let's just turn that off. we'll let that set. we're going on the back here. come around this side. but, you know, sea salt, you know, a little bit of -- some have more saline taste. some are lighter and not quite as, you know, harsh. >> right. >> you know, and they have the iodine. you pick what you like. better ingredients make better food. that's all there is to it. >> makes sense. >> beautiful, wild mushrooms. >> this is a simple preparation. >> it is. mushrooms, chives. i tell people when they taste fish at a restaurant or at home, a quick squeeze of lemon on top just like that. when it comes out of the pan. >> done. >> goes into while it's still warm. take wild mushrooms. we're going to go right over top, keep it nice. >> you can't ask for something simpler or easier or quicker. >> it's really quick. >> natalie comes in just in time. >> salmon is really quick. >> the mushrooms look amazing.

>> good help in the opening of the restaurant. >> always great to have you here. >> good to see you. and the recipe, of course, on our website. coming up, guess who's here? vanessa williams. yes, coming by. visit hoda and kathie lee. but first, your local news. >> and weather. >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. president obama is bringing his push for health-care reform to maryland. this thursday, september 17, the president will hold a rally in support of health reform in the comcast center. the doors open at 9:00 a.m. and the commission is first-come, first serve. back in a minute

>> now let's take a look at the forecast with sandra shaw. >> plenty of sunshine, really looking nice. partly cloudy today. 80 to 85 degrees. normal-today is 79. mild night ahead, but mostly cloudy skies. things are going to stall and it will mean cooler conditions and right here conditions. >> we will see you back here for 11 news at noon.

( slurping ) ♪ ( slurping ) ♪ ( slurping ) ( child giggling ) ( both slurping ) ( laughs ) ( giggles ) why just make a snack? make fun. jell-o.