tv Today NBC December 5, 2011 9:00am-10:00am EST
9:00 am
and we are back with more of "today" on a monday morning, december 5th, 2011. the skies are brightening some here in new york, and we've got some very nice people gathered on the plaza, as they enjoy some of our christmas decorations and bring us some of t own. we've got the little trees in the foreground, a 74-foot norway spruce in the background and we're in full holiday swimming. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and tamron hall. meanwhile, coming up we'll be talking about something near and dear to at least our hearts and that is avoiding germs during the holiday sgleeceason.
9:01 am
>> just in time for the holidays, we go on germ patrol. we take a look at what's happening in the malls. do you put your hand on the escalator? >> i don't. >> i know you don't. a lot of people do. we'll look at the most, i guess, germ-prone places as you do your shopping so we can try to keep you safe. >> thank you. with all the money you're going to spend on shopping, it might be nice to save a little cash. we'll show you how you can save up to $1500 by trimming your medical bills. everything from the medicine you take to where you get treated, all without compromising your health. >> very nice. and if you still need some ideas for the perfect present for the special someone in your life, well, jill is coming to your rescue. jill martin has some of the hottest gifts that all the celebrities are buying. i don't know what that is, but we'll find out. >> angry birds. >> oh, angry birds, from clothes, jewelry, angry birds, and the best news, they are all
9:02 am
affordable. >> do you ever get out of the stores? that girl can shop. we mentioned natalie is on assignment. savannah would normally be with us but she is at the news dechk with all headlines. u.s. military officials are denying iran's claim that it shot down an american spy plane. but officials do acknowledge that an unmanned surveillance drone veered off course over afghanistan last week and apparently came down in iran. u.s. officials are concerned the iranians could get crucial intelligence from studying that plane. a major shakeup this weekend in the race for the white house. her mman cain has suspended his presidential campaign after a georgia woman came forward alleging that he had engaged in a 13-year extramarital affair with him. this as a new nbc news marist poll shows that newt gingrich is the front runner in the key states of iowa and new hampshire. gingrich meets with businessman donald trump today. earlier on "today," matt spoke
9:03 am
exclusively to trump about the 2012 race and whether or not he's really out of the running. >> have you completely ruled out a run for president, even as a third party candidate? >> well, as you know, and again the equal time provisions don't allow me to run until may when i'm a free agent and you like it because i have a very successful show on your network. but the fact is that if the wrong candidate is nominated to run, if i think it's a candidate that's not going to win and not very good, and that could happen, i guess, i mean i'm seeing some very good people and some very talented people, and if the economy continues to be batted, and i think it will because i think we have incompetent leadership, i would certainly think about running as an independent, yes. >> trump will moderate a republican debate in des moines on december 27th. so far, though, only one republican candidate, newt gingri gingrich, has agreed to participate. black friday and cyber monday apparently have not drained online shoppers dry.
9:04 am
just last week alone, shoppers spent some $6 billion online. a new record. and cyber monday turned out to be the biggest online shopping day in history with sales reaching $1.25 billion. an exuberant victory for oklahoma state university's football team turned into a riot on the field. nbc's thanh truong is in stillwater this morning with more. >> reporter: hey there, savannah. it's a sober aftermath to what was supposed to be a victory celebration here at oklahoma state university. the school's big win on saturday night stained in a way after a mob scene got out of control. in all, 12 people were injured in the postgame pandemonium. one student suffered injuries described as serious. this was the scene as the game ended. the osu cowboys beating their arch rival oklahoma sooners 44-10 and winning the big 12 conference championship. >> the students are storming the field. >> reporter: fans stampeded onto
9:05 am
the turf boy the thousands to salute the winning players and tear down the goal posts. >> i have never been more packed into one area and getting pushed and shoved and just all over the place. people were so excited and just -- the atmosphere was ridiculous. it was awesome. >> reporter: but not so awesome was the fact that some people got trampled, and others were seriously injured when they tumbled out of the stands. >> i was scared that this guy had just died and i had a lot of things going through my head. i was just terrified and kind of wanted to cry in the middle of all the excitement. >> reporter: the university president issued a statement saying, quote, our policy is that no unauthorized persons are allowed on the field at any time. despite the efforts of the security team, fans rushed onto the field causing several injuries. one person fell at least 15 feet onto concrete. the critical patient was airlifted to an oklahoma city hospital, while others were hauled away by ambulances.
9:06 am
and most of those fans injured are now out of the hospital. their injuries range from sprained backs to broken ankles. the student that was airlifted is still in the hospital in guarded but stable condition. >> all right, nbc's thanh truong in stillwater this morning. thank you. "twilight" is lingering at the weekend box office. "breaking dawn part 1" was number one for a third straight week taking in almost $17 million. "the muppets" held on to second place and "hugo" finished third. it is now 9:06. back to al with a check of the weather. >> we've got some nice folks hanging out. where are you guys from? >> massachusetts. >> very nice, all right. there you go. let's check it out, see what we've got for you. for today we're looking at some wet weather stretching from new england all the way back to texas. snowy behind that system with a lot of cold air coming in. we have flash flood watches, flood warnings and flood watches stretching from texas all the way up to cleveland with the possibility of anywhere from 2
9:07 am
to 3 inches of rain. some areas may pick up 3 to 5 inches. and then back behind that through west texas on into arizona we're talking 1 to 3 inches of snow. >> good morning.ic we have some fog to contend with on this monday morning. a mixture of sun and clouds. chance for rain tonight. >> and -- it's your birthday? >> my friend's. >> your friend's birthday. do you want to wish her a happy birthday. >> happy birthday, sophia. >> very nice. hopefully she'll do the same thing for you. savannah.
9:08 am
today's health is brought to you by the american cancer society, the official sponsor of birthdays. there's even a song for it. this morning on "today's health" you can tell holiday germ patrol as folks get serious about hitting the malls. you'll want to stay healthy and enjoy it all. a contributor and medical contributor of "health" magazine, dr. raj, good morning. >> good morning, savannah. >> it's quite a germy world. the bathroom an obvious place but where the germs lurk maybe not so obvious. >> many people think the toilet area is the worst place but really it's the sink and the faucet. when you think about it, people will wash their hands right after they use the bathroom and their hands are dirty. if you're touching those faucets and the sink, moist areas where germs love to grow and multiply, be careful that you wash very colorly afterward.
9:09 am
then use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door. you don't want to regerm your hands. >> i wondered if it would be better to skip the sink and do one of those sanitizers but is soap and water still the best? >> soap and water is better than using a hand sanitizer because you are physically rubbing a lot off. however, if you don't touch anything in the bathroom, you might be okay with just the sanitizer. >> we know the malls all have those escalators and you say don't hold on to the rails? >> i don't want people to start falling all over the place and blaming us for that. if you're feeling up steady, certainly hold on. maybe if you have mittens, use your gloved hand or use a wipe or if you're feeling pretty stable don't touch it at all. as you can imagine, everyone is touching those handrails and you don't want to catch germs from anyone else's hands. >> good to seep tkeep the sanitn your purse. toy stores and gadget stores.
9:10 am
where are the dangers there. >> toy stores, you have all these toys that say press here to try me out. you can imagine all those runny-nose little kids pressing there. gadgets too, ipads, phones, people are touching them. keep a hand sanitizer to wipe down the toy or the gadget or your hands afterwards. if you buy a toy that's not wiped up or sealed, wipe it down with an alcohol wipe before your kids start playing with it. >> fitting rooms. now, it's really not the hooks and the chairs, you say, but the clothes? >> the clothes themselves can hold on to dead skin cells, perspiration, especially when we're talking about undergarments and things like that. you want to wear your full undergarment before you try it on. if you take it home, if it's not sealed, you want to wash it before you wear it. >> would you say that about all clothes or just -- >> i would say the ones that are touching your undergarments. if you have any open cuts or sores, make sure you're wearing band-aids before you try on any clothes. our next one, makeup counters. a lot of folks like to go to the
9:11 am
department store because you can try on the foundation or lipstick or whatever. >> it's very hard to buy something without trying it on when it comes to makeup, however, you don't want anything touching your lips action eyes or even your face. you could have some microscopic cuts you don't realize. these days many stores are good about letting you buy it, letting you try it and then return it. >> all that shopping and germ collecting makes a person hungry. so if you go to the food court, what should we watch out for? >> well, it's interesting. you'll be sitting at those tables. most people look out for the ones with the obvious crumbs on it. even if there's no crumbs on it, many times when they clean those surfaces they're using a rag they used ten other tables. bring your own wipe, just give it a quick wipedown with an antibacterial and make sure that it's safe. >> every time we do these segments, good to be aware of this but we don't want to be paranoid. >> we're strong, your immune systems are good, just wash your hands frequently and you should be fine. coming up next, how to save
9:12 am
as much as $1500 a year on your health care costs. and later, stress-free holiday entertaining. what you need to know before you raise your glass after these messages. at is that? it's you! it's me? alright emma, i know it's not your favorite but it's time for your medicine, okay? you ready? one, two, three. [ both ] ♪ emma, emma bo-bemma ♪ banana-fana-fo-femma ♪ fee-fi-fo-femma ♪ em-ma very good sweety, how do you feel? good. yeah? you did a really good job, okay? [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. and this time of year, i send out a lot of gifts. sweater for mom, free shipping from brian. i'm brian andrews. i ship the gifts that last. the holidays are made here at l.l.bean.
9:13 am
[ female announcer ] let betty crocker do the measuring and get a head start on delicious homemade cookies. ♪ just pour, mix...love. that's why there's crest pro-health clinical gum protection. it helps eliminate plaque at the gum line, helping prevent gingivitis. it's even clinically proven to help reverse it in just 4 weeks. crest pro-health clinical gum protection. here you go. driver's license. past five years' tax returns. high school report cards. and i'm gonna need to see a receipt for that watch you're wearing. you know, you really should provide us with a checklist of documents we're gonna need up front. who do you think i am? quicken loans? at quicken loans, we provide a checklist of the mortgage documents you'll need up front. it helps keep you in the know every step of the way. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze.
9:14 am
9:15 am
this orange morning on "today's money" cutting your health care costs. a lot of people are seeing big increases in out of pocket expenses. here with ways to save money is our personal finance expert and the host of "financially fit" on yahoo! finance. good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> we're talking about some big chunks of change in these increases.
9:16 am
>> americans are seeing their out of pocket medical expenses, their premiums jump by about 9%. that was just this year alone. so that's individuals paying upwards of $900 a year, households, families paying more than $4100 a year so it's really necessary to learn how to save. >> you say one of the places you need to start with is your primary care physician. >> absolutely. people don't realize that your physician has a fiduciary responsibility to meet your medical needs and that not only includes prescribing you the right medicine and right treatment but also meeting your budget. now, your doctor can't read your mind so you have to be up front and dpoesnegotiate with your do say that you want alternative prescriptions, generics, perhaps. i actually negotiate with my dentist. i had a dental procedure that required two visits. he said why don't you spread this over this year and next so you can maximize your insurance allowances. >> so he gave you some alternatives. >> he did and he saved me $300. you can actually make appointments to just talk to
9:17 am
your physician. >> and you also said some doctors give free samples. >> you should always leave with something in your hand. my dermatologist gave me samples upon samples of skin care. whether you're going to your dentist get toothpaste, tooth brushes, floss, they have closets full of this. do not hesitate. >> you also said consider some of these big box retailers. >> walmart, target, and others are getting more and more into the pharmaceutical industry and are offering generic drugs for $4 for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply. this compared to the co-pay which is $35. if you switch to walmart or target for one drug you could save well over $350 a year. >> which brings up the importance of comparison shopping do. this online. whether you're looking for prescription drugs. i like pillbid.com and bidrx.com which has local pharmacies bidding for your business. you're in the driver's seat there. if you're looking for supplements, health supplements,
9:18 am
vitamins, check out shopping.com, bizrate.com, pricegrabber.com. you can comparison shop. i did this for some health supplements and saved 50% off retail price. >> you mentioned the big box stores a moment ago. a lot of them have a walk-in health clinic. >> yes. >> are these a good alternative? >> they say 17% of e.r. visits can be handled at in-store clinics. they're available at cvs, walmart, it's a booming business. they treat earaches, stomach aches, allergic reactions. you don't need an appointment, you're usually out within 15 to 20 minutes and it costs 25% less than getting the same service at your doctor's office. >> and you mentioned earlier about your dentist giving you the idea of spreading it out. it's important to pay close attention to the calendar. >> absolutely. because especially as the year winds down, depending on how much you spent on out of pocket medical and dental expenses, you may qualify for a tax deduction. so i always tell people if you're thinking about an
9:19 am
expensive, elective procedure or surgery like lasik surgery, you might want to schedule it before the end of the year because that on top of your out of pocket co-pays, your premiums, could add up to 7.5% or more of your adjusted gross income. if you meet that threshold, anything you spend beyond that is tax deductible. >> you also say the money-saving tip, visit your local university. >> i used to do this all the time. the school of optometry, you can go and get really great comprehensive exams, contact lenses for a reduced rate because their students, premed students have to work on real patients before they can graduate so they're willing to provide their services at a sglount and also check your bill when you get it? >> 80% of hospital bills have some error which results in a 25% increase in bills, in billing. so check your bill versus your record of what you've done at your doctor's office. >> a lot of great advice. thank you so much. >> you're welcome. still ahead, the holiday gifts all the celebrities are after this year. our own celebrity, jill martin,
9:20 am
has the most affordable finds. but first, these messages. gives you a 50% annual bonus! so you earn 50% more cash. according to research, everybody likes more cash. well, almost everybody... ♪ would you like 50% more cash? no! but it's more money. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? woah! [ giggles ] so you don't have to deal with this. [ indistinct shouting ] simplify your shopping at walgreens. find great gifts and earn up to $20 in jingle cash good on your next purchase of $30 or more. shopping. simplified. that's walgreens.
9:21 am
keurig has a wide variety of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. keurig is the way to brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew. so with keurig, every cup tastes like it's brewed just for you. because it is. ♪ barnes & noble nook sellers at your service ♪ ♪ friendly folks with just one purpose ♪ ♪ to help you fall in love with nook ♪ ♪ for movies, music, apps, and books ♪ ♪ and another thing for you and me ♪ ♪ nook support ♪ is always free thanks! ♪ nook by barnes & noble. starting at just $99.
9:23 am
9:24 am
good morning to you. >> hi. thank you so much. this is our 11th year with you guys and it's just a great partnership. >> tell us how people can get online and donate. >> it's really easy. customers go to our gateway page, our home page, find the "today" show icon, click on that. it takes them to the holiday toy list, a wide range of prices for toys. just click on however many you'd like to donate and we'll take care of the rest. >> and these are hot toys. >> this is $25.99 today so it's a great deal. they made angry birds into a real game, not just a virtual game. this is one of the most popular toys of the year. you squeeze it and it turns on and makes noise. >> i do the same thing. it's just another story. >> you can actually pick the charity you want to donate to, right, online? >> right. there's a number of charities. helping hands, the humane
9:25 am
society. >> thank you so much. >> we appreciate it. coming up, holiday dessert after your local news and weather. and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. in 15 minutes, you can serve some warmth with your bread. and some flavor with your bread. and some layers with your bread. if you're serving bread honey, then serve it. grands! dinner ideas made easy.
9:28 am
9:30 am
♪ >> the king of pop, michael jackson, loved by millions of fans and now you can own items from jackson's home that he shared with his kids in his final days. furniture and other items going on the auction block. before they do, we're going to have some of them here wednesday on "today." >> all right. also coming up, we're all about the holiday planning this half hour and we will start with a celebrity gift guide. jill martin is here with the hottest jewelry, gadgets and accessories that all the stars are buying up, but guess what, they are affordable. not star's prices. >> and if you're throwing a holiday soiree but don't want to
9:31 am
spend the whole time pouring cocktails, we'll tell you how to plan ahead so you can mix with your guests. this happens to me all the time, have a party and you're making the drinks and don't get a chance to socialize. >> why don't you give out those beer helmets. >> you know what, i did that a couple years ago. >> if any of those guests drop by unexpectedly, it's always nice to have some homemade desserts on hand to serve. we're in "today's kitchen" going to show you holiday sweet treats that you can make ahead of time, freeze and then pull them out when you need them. it's like magic. genius! wily coyote, super genius. >> oh, why did i start. >> let's get a check of the weather. >> we'll show you what we are looking for for today. we've got wet weather stretching from ohio all the way back through texas. snow through arizona. sunshine, but a little cooler in the pacific northwest. then for tomorrow, we're looking at rain moving here into the
9:32 am
northeast, mid-atlantic states into the gulf coast. it's going to be frigid out through the rockies and the plains with temperatures well 20 to 30 degrees below normal but nice and mild in southern california on into the pacific i >> good morning. we have some thick fog this morning. maybe some sunshine will break through. and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al, thank you very much. up next, hollywood's hottest guests. look at her. jill martin, 1985. >> run dmc.
9:33 am
[ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. ♪ that requires ongoing protection. a quick fix isn't going to solve the problem. dentists recommend sensodyne. simply brushing with sensodyne twice a day every day is going to give you that long-lasting 24/7 protection against sensitivity.
9:34 am
let me get you a free tank of gas -- how's that sound? progressive saved me money, and i'm saving you money. [ chuckles ] now these guys are protected with progressive. come on around. we'll fill up your tank for you. free gas! 5 more inches. now you're lined up for some free gas and savings, eh? [ horn honks ] hey, we're trying to save here. i came in for this. yeah, fill it up, too. thank you. don't thank me. i'm just the messenger. you don't decide when vegetables reach the peak of perfection.
9:35 am
the vegetables do. at green giant, we pick vegetables only when they're perfect. then freeze them fast so they're are as nutritious as fresh. [ green giant ] ho ho ho. ♪ green giant 's [ green giant ] ho ho ho. new baked pasta romanas. these warm hearty creations are only here for a limited time. ruffled lasagnette pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses with roasted garlic and oven baked just for you. try it topped with pan-seared chicken and toscano tomatoes. or with slow-cooked beef braised in a chianti wine sauce. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks. get together tonight at olive garden. when you're here, you're family.
9:36 am
this morning on "today's holiday gift guide" what celebrities are swooning over this season. it turns out some of the hottest finds are budget friendly. today jill martin is here to show you how to shop like a star but not spend like a star. good morning. i see we have some sequins to start with. >> these are from express, $60. you're going to a friend's you know they love passion. this is so soft but it has sparkles so you can wear it around the house. on to the pg information of the program. look, we always come back with
9:37 am
swatch watch. heidi klum a big fan of these. they come in a variety of colors and patterns. $60. >> these are cute iphone cases. these are fashionable. >> usually expensive items but $48. torre birch.com. what a great gift to give a friend. >> it's one of the splurge items you might not get for yourself. >> they come in a beautiful bag and the whole thing. >> tell us about these jewels. >> we'll start up here, which is just a beautiful monogrammed necklace. this is actually emma roberts, so it's big with celebrities. and then starting at $25, you can get in on this. bobblebar.com. what a great gift to give a little sparkle to someone over the holiday, maybe for new year's, if you're going to someone's home. just a little different gift but a bold statement. >> now, these are beautiful fragrances. they have these smaller ones and
9:38 am
you can put in your purse. >> all are unisex and j. lo, reese witherspoon, victoria beckham. because it's unisex, you can bring it to someone's home and it's a great gift for everybody. >> what do we have over here? >> this is coach. starting at $38, a gift for everyone, including your pooch and key chains. i mean this is amazing because you, again, a high-end designer that you can get in on, gwyneth paltrow, eva longoria all fans. >> nice quality. little ipad holders, very fashionable. now, what do we have right here? these have ear buds in them? >> these not plugged in. you can plug it into your ipad or ipod. american eagle starting at $19.50. something for the guys with these hats that plug in so the speakers are built into the earmuffs so when you plug it into your ipod it's not like a
9:39 am
fashion disaster, it's all in one. i think these are great gifts for everyone for the whole family. >> functional as you're walking around. angry birds is huge but what is this? >> bieber fever. justin bieber is a huge fan. these are speakers and it works with almost all mp3 players and charges your device. what a great fun speaker. everyone on the crew is a fan of angry birds, all ages, i didn't realize. >> our our crew is childish, either way. >> this, discovery.com, $25. it's actually a pinball game. >> that is so cute. >> so you download the free app and you can actually play pinball with this. >> is that a speaker? >> it's really fun with the lights. >> oh, great. okay. next? >> going back to classic film, this is $109, 35 millimeter
9:40 am
film, remember that? how much fun for a party or as a gift for someone who's into fla photography. i love this, it comes in a beautiful box. >> i love how it looks. it would be cute to put on your desk. >> finally the boom box, we saw you jamming with it earlier. >> i love this. this is a splurge gift. denise richards, brooke burke recently photographed with it. you can put it on your shoulder. >> is it heavy? oh, no, you can do it. >> and it charges your device. this is a great gift for someone that loves music. >> jill martin, great ideas as always, thank you so much. and for more celebrity gift ideas, you can check out this week's edition of "us weekly. ". coming up next, throwing a stress-free holiday party. we'll drink to that next.
9:41 am
9:42 am
[ female announcer ] kleenex brand tissues are america's softest... no wonder people want to share them on and on. send a kleenex brand share package for free today at kleenex.com and start your own chain of sharing. in return, you'll receive a sample of new kleenex cool touch tissues... the only tissue that actively releases a cool sensation to soothe a sore nose on contact. kleenex. softness worth sharing. dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours...
9:43 am
[ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas. 12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36... mmm... pillsbury crescent wrapped brie just unroll, wrap the brie and bake. it's so easy. now this might even impress aunt martha. pillsbury crescent wrapped brie. holiday ideas made easy. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you.
9:44 am
the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. if you're planning a holiday cocktail party but are stressing over what to serve and the idea of playing bartender all night, we've got some tips to make you the toast of the town. rosemary, good to see you. >> good morning. >> a lot of people make big mistakes, myself included and you say this happens.
9:45 am
>> it happens to everybody and it usually happens because they make things too complicated, don't think about logistics and end up spending way more money than they plan to. first of all, look at the space and think about where people congregate when they come into your house and think about where you want them to be. you may have to move furniture around. you want the drink station not in the front of the room where it will block the traffic and not at the end but in the middle. >> so move the furniture and make it accessible. moving down the line you say we should gather all of our cocktail fwegear in one spot. >> right. >> what do we need to do? >> you need a bigger ice bucket or cooler that you put in all the way up so you can put drinks in the top. a separate ice bucket for ice and drinks. or you can use tongs or a spoon. but you don't want to use a glass because it will break and you'll have to throw the whole thing out and suddenly you'll be the maid at the party. >> and you don't want that. you also point out bottle opener, have a good one ready.
9:46 am
>> this one is great. this is a winged cork screw. we tested it with the good housekeeping research institute. as the cork goes in, the arms go up. pull them down, pop the cork out. >> nothing is more embarrassing than struggling to open your wine in front of your guests. >> unless you're a professional waiter, that is what you want. >> you drink and realize it's not your glass. >> so here's how you avoid that. you mark the glasses. these were designed for good housekeeping. they're reusable. it's 12 for $5. you just let the drinks -- this goes right on the drinks. guests pick their own but you can also do snippets of ribbon you lay out, colored rubber bands, whatever works. >> and that way everyone keeps with their drink all evening long. moving on, more accessories, stirrers and all these things that you need at your station whachlt do we need most? >> spread them out so at least two people can get to them. you want to stir, not a shaker.
9:47 am
unless you've hired a professional bartender, it just makes a mess. >> so we don't want a shaker. >> no. when you go to james bonds' party, you'll have a shaker there. but all sorts of fun garnishes. a nutmeg grater is great and spread it out so a couple people can get to it at a time. >> and it makes the table look pretty so it looks nice. now to our mixers and how to balance that. >> yes. so what you want to do is you need a liter bottle will serve about 20 drinks. you want twice as many mixers. so club soda, cranberry juice, whatever like that. you also want a lot of that for people who don't drink. more than a third of americans don't drink any alcohol at all so make sure you have that on hand. >> and that's good to always consider those people. so what's the formula mixers? >> these make about 20 drinks apiece. you want double the amount of
9:48 am
these. >> and what do you do for beer options? everyone has their favorite beer. >> what you want to do is just have a light option and a dark option, keep it simple. most liquor stores will take back beer and sometimes even bottles of liquor -- >> i didn't know that. >> that are not chilled and not open so you may want to ask about that pr you buy. >> i never knew that. so light or dark. and what do you do for wine? >> you serve a red and a wight and just keep it simple. you can also mix in like flavored vodkas, you can make a drink for the party like a signature cocktail or put out hot chocolate in a slow cooker. >> oh, very nice. and of course stains do happen, so have your stain remover on the ready. >> so you want a couple of cloths to brought. you want a spray bottle of water to spray on top and a tied to go pen to pick up the stain and you're done. >> so do you want me to crack this with my teeth? no, i can't do that on tv.
9:49 am
9:51 am
this morning on "today's holiday kitchen" holiday desserts you can make ahead of time. the author of "in my mother's kitchen" has three sweet recipes you can bake now, then freeze and pull out later for last-minute guests. trish, good to have you. these are terrific because people drop by, especially during the holidays. >> unannounced, uninvited. >> you've been to my house, you know my family! in any event, these are three great ones. >> hello dolly. great things to make ahead of time and freeze. graham cracker crust, walnuts or
9:52 am
pecans, crushed, sweetened or unsweetened coconut. all things we have on hand in the pantry and my kids can make this. there you go, teamwork, i love it. so coconut, nice, shredded coconut and chocolate chips so it's about a cup, a cup, a cup. generous cups, and very old school. so condensed milk. >> is that sweetened condensed milk? >> sweetened condensed milk. >> i keep a can of this in the pantry. >> for your coffee? >> no, you can make caramel sauce by boiling it in a pan. >> so this goes in the oven 20, 25 minutes. then when they're cool, you cut them and these are great gifts for teachers, for parties you go to, cut them up. so for you i would give you the little ends here. >> the crunchy part. >> that's the part that -- >> when you're going to freeze it, what's the best way to wrap it? >> tight in plastic wrap, then in tin foil. keep it flat in the freezer. pull it out, you know, you want to make it -- i think that's a good size.
9:53 am
ready to go. these are nostalgia. everything in my cookbook is harkenning back to grandma. >> what's next? >> macroons. this is just stove top, sugar, chocolate, which is cocoa, then this goes off. this also has butter in it too, of course, oats, three cups of oats. >> so we're healthy? >> it's like breakfast. not exactly. i'll let you stir that one. we've got three cups of oats and again, coconut is a big theme at holiday time. once these are cool enough to handle, my kids made these for the school bake sale. you can put them in cute little boxes, sell them by the dozen, give them to your neighbor, your mother. >> you form them and then freeze them? >> i would form them and then freeze them and then you're ready to go. this is what's going to make you look like a pro. using the ice cream scoop really is what makes it look like it's coming from a professional
9:54 am
kitchen. isn't that quick? >> just on parchment paper? >> no bake. i put them on my deck. when it's cool enough. >> hopefully no woodland creatures come. >> exactly. this also comes from my cookbook, ginger cookie. santa loves these. you can have the dough done the night before, you can go ahead and roll those in sugar so the dough can be made the night before. you can have these all done, ready to go. pop them in the freezer at this point and then pull them out and bake. so you've got your unexpected guests and you say let me just whip up some homemade ginger cookies. >> how do you prep this? >> this goes in the oven for eight minutes. you can press chocolate into it. >> do you flatten these first? >> no, no. except if you want to put a little chunk of chocolate inside. you can also do crystallized ginger. total holiday. so these are all easy-peasy things i can bring to your house on the holidays. >> can we try? >> dig in. >> hello dollys and macaroons.
9:55 am
>> trish, thank you so much. great, easy recipes. we appreciate it. what's coming up. awkward holiday situations like eating with your mouth full and talking with your mouth full. >> online gifts for the hard to shop for on your gifts. >> but first we've got your local news and weather. tamron is going back in. yeah! ♪
9:56 am
[ female announcer ] during the holidays, there's a lot to get done. and safeway select appetizers help you rise to every occasion. ♪ from delectable to amazing. there are over 20 affordable safeway select appetizers ♪ to make all of your gatherings just as merry as can be. ♪ only at safeway. ingredients for life.
321 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
WBAL (NBC) Television Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on