we're back with more of "today" on a monday morning, the 23rd day of january 2012. it's not the best morning out there. a little damp. kind of chilly as well. but we thank these people who stuck around all morning long. inside the studio i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie and al roker. ann is off today. coming up, a tropical getaway for a texas family turned into a fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane plunged into the ocean. we'll hear from one of the survivors coming up. they were extremely lucky that some very smart and willing people were nearby. >> yeah. some of them were doctors. they were incredibly blessed.

also, if you feel the scratchy throat, a stuffy nose it could be a cough, the flu or is it a cold. why it matters to know the difference. we'll tell you how to take care of both. don't just toss all that junk mail into the trash. you should be shredding some of those items first. we'll tell you which ones and what else you should know about protecting yourself from identity theft. >> do you do it? >> i do. >> do you shred things? >> i'm hit or miss. i have a shredder but i get l y lazy. yes and no. ish. >> that worked out nicely. >> i could go on and on. >> like talking about savannah, why spending time apart could be vital for staying together. >> do you think there are problems in this relationship? >> i think so. we'll share secrets to a long-lasting and loving relationship. >> i love you, guys. what are you doing after the show? >> let's go shred. >> al and i are going to do something. let's check on the top stories from natalie morales at the news desk. >> i'll get coffee with you. good morning, everyone.

we begin with severe weather in the southeast this morning. the storm system is making its way across alabama into georgia. tornado watches and warnings are in effect. there are early reports of at least eight tornadoes touching down in alabama and at least two deaths are being blamed on the storm. the region should expect hail, heavy rain and damaging winds. on sunday there were at least 21 reports of tornadoes. ten in arkansas where homes were ripped apart and trees fell on cars. a tropical getaway for a family from texas turned into a fight for survival when their sight-seeing plane plunged into the ocean. "today" national correspondent amy robach has more on the story. >> reporter: good morning. the texas couple was flying with their 4-year-old son when their plane crashed but kind strangers happened to be in the right place at the right time and pulled off an amazing rescue.

a plane ride through paradise for the atkins family. they were hoping to enjoy the sights along the coast of roatan in the caribbean off honduras. andy atkins had flown in the same plane just months before. >> it was an awesome, fun ride. great views, great pictures. a low flying plane that felt very stable. >> reporter: last week, with his wife jenny and 4-year-old son logan along, something went wrong. >> we lost an engine and crashed into the ocean, flipped over. we were stuck under water. >> they're all out. >> reporter: larry forsyth was on a nearby boat when he saw the crash. >> holy -- >> reporter: his son paul captured video of the dramatic rescue. >> we all dove in and swam just as quickly as we could. the timing was impeccable. we were just at the right place at the right time. >> reporter: only moments before, the plane's pilot helped andy get to the surface but

there was no sign of andy's wife or son. >> i dove back under looking for them. didn't find them the first time. came back, got air, went immediately back down. i just came up and had logan in my arms and by the time i got to the surface, jenny was also at the surface with the pilot holding her. we were all still in shock at that point. you know, we knew we had survived the initial crash. but we didn't know where it was going to go from there. >> reporter: remarkably, a u.s. navy doctor and another physician were among the divers who risked their lives to save the family. >> they screamed there were two doctors on board. they got them on the back of the boat, got them oxygen, treated them with all their skill. >> reporter: the entire family spent days in a hospital before returning home thursday night. >> it reaffirms your faith in people and humanity that so many people stepped in to help that didn't have to. >> reporter: the atkins are already planning another trip to roatan and said the accident brought them closer to the

island and the people there. natalie? >> so incredibly lucky. amy, thank you so much. today the european union voted to adopt an oil embargo against iran over its nuclear program. on sunday a u.s. aircraft carrier sailed through the strait of hormuz which iran threatened to close. fireworks, lion dances and family reunions mark the lunar new year being celebrated among asian-americans today. the dragon is an extremely good omen of strength and luck. hospitals are bracing for a dragon baby boom. vampires took a bite out of the weekend box office. "underworld awakening" finished on top with $25.4 million. george lucas's "red tails" debuted in second place and "contraband" dropped to third. five minutes past the hour. now to al with a special guest.

>> thank you so much, natalie. we'll get to our guest in a moment. let's see what's going on as far as the weather is concerned. we have severe stuff from louisiana all the way to atlanta. we have a risk of strong storms. we have tornadoes and severe thunderstorms cropping up already and they have been going on all night. we have a severe thunderstorm watch, central alabama until 10:00 a.m. central time. another watch now cropping up in georgia as well. so this is severe weather that has had a history of tornadoes starting to fire up. rainfall amounts not a big deal. we're talking anywhere from an inch to maybe two inches of rain. but the big problem is the risk of tornadoes, strong winds and damaging hail. >> good morning, everyone. there could be minor icing in some of the neighborhoods north and west of baltimore to start the day today. temperatures will climb above freezing in most areas. we should make it up to 44. best

and that's your latest weather. now let's welcome olympic gold medalist summer sanders, a fierce competitor in the pool and in the kitchen as well. unfortunately her training as an athlete could have been her undoing. she's the latest to be eliminated from food network's "rachael versus guy celebrity cook-off." >> it was a sad day. >> what happened? >> i tried an amuse bouche and tried to put something together i don't eat which was goat cheese. it looked pretty but it didn't taste good. what are you going to do? >> who's your competition? >> that's taylor dane. also left are coolio who's a force in the kitchen. >> he's a big cook.

>> also joey fatone and lou diamond phillips. i played for right to play. we bring sport and play to developing countries. >> wow. so are you going to step it up a notch? >> i still start my day off with a bowl of kellogg's and try to get adventurous at night. i'm cooking for kids who don't like a lot of spice. my important goal is teach them to make healthy choices. i look at my plate and i want it colorful, not with skittles, but with veggies. >> you have a few medals around your neck. we're coming up on the 2012 olympics. >> i know. so fun. >> what do you think the u.s. team's chances are? >> the swim team is the team to beat. the men are looking to win the relays. that's what we have always dominated. that's where they have to come back. the women, you will see missy franklin, an absolute doll, just a bright spot of the u.s. team.

of course michael phelps will win his 4,000th gold medal or something. >> he'll be weighed down. >> always good to see you, summer. >> see you in the kitchen. >> don't forget. catch "rachael versus guy celebrity cook-off" sundays on food network. here's nat. >> today's health is brought to you by kleenex brand tissues. softness worth sharing. >> thank you, al. this morning on today's health, is it a cold or the flu? recognizing the difference between the two illnesses can be critical to avoiding more serious health problems. "today" contributor dr. raj is from langone medical center and author of "what the yuck." good morning. >> good morning. >> it's been a mild flu season is. february is the peak so it's a good reminder, as any time. we should point out the flu can be deadly, right?

>> absolutely. colds generally make you feel not great but they don't knock you out. the flu can lead to serious complications, things like pneumonia, bacterial infections. could be fatal in some people. important we don't get lulled into a false sense of security. we are still waiting for the peak which is january and february. >> knowing the difference between a cold and flu is important because the flu can be deadly. >> it can be. you want to know if you have it so you can talk to your doctor about what to do about it. >> we'll differentiate between the two in a moment. let's dispel the myth that people think you can get a cold if you're out in the cold or wet weather or if you're just basically dressed inappropriately. false? >> it's a myth. the whole, don't go out with wet hair, that's not how we get a cold. we get colds or flu through contracting a virus. you get it by people sneezing, coughing near you, touching a

contaminated surface and your mouth, nose or eyes. that's how you get the flu or a cold. we see it more in the winter because we are in closer quarters with people. we're too close to people and that's how we get sick in the winter. >> we're just making sure we're not catching anything. let's go through the symptoms and you tell us which is which. first, runny nose or stuffy nose. cold or flu? >> this is more often a cold. the runny nose is a sign -- the viruses that cause the cold affect the nasal passages. you may have a little bit of stuffiness with the flu but it's an overall body symptom. for the runny nose, sneezing that's annoying, more likely to be a cold. >> next is the dry cough. >> a cough could be a cold or a flu. the difference is if the cough is accompanied by chest pain or trouble breathing that's a more serious situation, more likely to be the flu. just a dry cough that's not really bothering you much could be a cold. >> body aches and fatigue. sounds like the flu. >> hallmarks of the flu.

the flu knocks you out. you can't get out of bed, you can't move. you're miserable. colds, people can go to work, go about their daily activities. they don't feel 100%. >> the flu lasts how long? >> you could have fatigue for up to three weeks. the cold is more three to five days. >> another symptom is sore throat. if your throat is inflamed is that the cold? >> it could be the cold or flu. if you start with just a sore throat and a couple days later have a runny nose that's a cold. if you have a sore throat with body aches, fatigue, that's likely to be the flu. >> best way of prevention is the flu vaccine? >> absolutely. hand washing for the colds and flu is a great way to protect yourself from contracting it. the flu vaccine is important for everyone over six months. >> if you have the flu what's a common course of treatment? >> there are treatments for the flu. they are only effective if you start within 48 hours of your illness. there are anti-viral medications to shorten the duration and less

century the severity and prevent complications. if you suspect the flu talk to your doctor. there are tests and treatments for it. >> dr. raj, now we know the difference. thanks. up next, how to protect yourself from identity theft including a list of what documents to shred. plus a happy milestone for elizabeth smart. her kidnapping and rescue made headlines more than a decade ago. now she'sengaged. details after this. are america's softest... no wonder people want to share them with the ones they love. ♪ ♪ start your own chain of sharing. ♪ send a kleenex brand share package for free today at kleenex.com. kleenex. softness worth sharing. might seem...

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♪ this morning on today's consumer protecting yourself from identity theft. more than 8.5 million u.s. households were victims of i.d. theft in 2010, costing them more than $13 billion. in its current issue shop smarting magazine reports on strategies to safe guard your information. lisa, good to see you. >> good morning, al. >> first you say people shouldn't panic. >> there are a lot of cases and there are a growing number of cases but in most cases you can prevent identity theft in a few very simple steps. >> okay. first of all, you say shredding or tearing up in itty bitty

pieces of certain kinds of information that comes to your house every day is important. >> right now you probably have information in your trash people can use to steal your money. >> like what? >> shredding is the number one no-brainer thing you can do to prevent identity theft. credit card information, monthly bills, workplace documents, financial statements, any information you get from a retailer you have done business with. all of these things should be shredded. >> what if you get junk mail, you know, like offering you credit cards, things like that? >> absolutely. any checks you receive in the mail. sometimes you get checks you can use toward purchases in the mail. shred. when in doubt, shred. you don't have to shred everything. you know the ads in the mail that don't have your name on it, just put those in the trash. but i basically shred everything, just in case. >> let's get started talking about shopping. you say to keep your computer safe. >> if you're shopping online there are a lot of threats in

terms of i.d. theft. one of the things you really need to do is make sure you have security software and use it and update it. also, this prevents you from getting hacked but as you have been hearing in the news lots of companies have been getting hacked. >> sure. >> there were millions of accounts hacked. >> what chance do we have as an average person when these big multi billion dollar companies with all this security get hacked? >> one thing you can do is make sure you have a strong password. can't be your cat, dog or anything in the dictionary. should be a scramble. you have to change it regularly. i know it sounds like a pain in the butt. but you should have different passwords for different retailers. if a retailer is hacked they don't have your password they can use for your other accounts. >> what about public wireless networks? is that a bad thing? >> only if you're shopping on them. criminals could be standing by on a public wifi system ready to take your passwords, credit card numbers. don't shop on public wifi

networks. >> should you password protect your own wifi network at home? >> absolutely. that's a simple thing you can do to protect yourself at home. >> e-mail scams. i have gotten e-mails that look like it comes from my bank. >> right. >> they look really legitimate. >> often you may have been shopping at a recent retailer and you get what looks like a legitimate e-mail from the retailer. they will ask for information. don't do it. most likely it's not legit. most companies don't ask for sensitive information via e-mail. >> make sure you know who you are doing business with. >> go to bbb.org, check user reviews. don't do business with just anybody. >> say we're physically out shopping. a lot of times you say people carry more information than they need. >> especially women. we're the worst. we carry bags with us and we have all of our i.d.s, medical card, social security card. >> my stage manager is nodding yes. >> here's a tip if you're a woman. have a separate wallet for

shopping. just the bare minimum amount of information. if your wallet is stolen that's i.d. theft right there waiting to happen. >> you say don't reveal personal information for transactions you didn't initiate. >> if somebody says, oh, get an extra discount with our program and they ask for your birth date and other things, there is no reason to give it to them. the only reason to give them that information is if you initiated a transaction, you're opening a new account. >> one thing you say to do is keep eyes on your credit card because there are a lot of skimming. >> devices. >> and they skim your information. >> if you see a clerk walk off with your credit card, be careful about that. in restaurants there is not much you can do to avoid that. keep an eye on your credit card while that person handles your transaction. >> finally folks don't realize they can get a free check of their credit scores three times a year. >> so the next no-brainer thing to do to protect yourself from

i.d. theft is go to annual credit report.com, check your credit report at the three different agencies once a year to make sure there aren't fraudulent accounts opened in your name. that's something free. you don't have to sign up for expensive credit monitoring or i.d. theft services. that's something you can do and it's powerful. >> lisa freeman, thank you very much. great advice. still ahead, the secrets to a strong, long-lasting relationship. love is not the only answer. you may be surprised what is. first, these messages. when we realized losing wes we could eat whatever we wanted and still lose weight. weight watchers online was so easy. you look up a food, you eat the food, you track the food. weight -- comes right off. you have lipstick on your teeth. ok. got it. using the recipe builder, i'm making 2 point enchiladas that will blow your mind. together, we lost 71 pounds with weight watchers online. quit dancing. i didn't do it... [ female announcer ] join for free today. weight watchers online. finally, losing weight clicks.

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hello, sid. >> what's up, bro? >> don't ever do that to me again. >> he's always a winner in our book, but when the oscar nominations come out will george clooney be on the list of nominees? he has shots in several categories and who will he share the spotlight with? maybe good friend brad pitt? we'll have the academy award nominations for you live here tomorrow on "today." >> i want to see the boyfriend get nominated. he was great. >> he was funny. >> robert forester said, okay, i'm going to hit you now. boom. >> meanwhile you have to see it if you haven't yet. meanwhile coming up after being kidnapped and sexually abused at just 14 years old, ten years later elizabeth smart is

enjoying happier times. she's now 24 years old and is engaged to be married. we'll get the details on how she met her husband to be. >> also ahead, secrets for a long, happy relationship. yes, romance is important. you also need a realistic view of the future to go the distance. we have expert advice ahead. >> and we are ringing in the chinese new year. it's the year of the dragon. with eel be celebrating with delicious asian cuisine including potstickers and a chinese steam boat. >> what is that? >> i don't know. sounds delicious. >> i like it. >> sounds hot. >> you have to do the weather first before the steam boat. >> from the love boat to the steam boat. >> there we go. >> for today, a week ahead looking at two-thirds of the country above normal in the early part of the week. out west, wet, snowy and chilly. in the midpart of the week things warm up through the plains and much of the country although we will be on the wet side from the ohio river valley

into the southwest and in the latter part of the week we cool down. stays wet in the east with snow. in the north above normal temperatures. >> good morning, everyone. there could be icing in some neighborhoods this morning. temperatures will warm into the 40's this afternoon. the chance for rain increasing as we head through the day. the best chance for and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. up next, the secrets of a long-term relationship. but first, these messages. [ kid ] mom says there are kids in africa. just like me. and when i eat fruit rollups and enter my code online, i could win a laptop and help give a kid in africa one, too.

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♪ this morning on today's relationships, how couples can stay together. a lot of people were surprised to see the break-up of heidi klum and seal after seven years of marriage. they renewed their vows every year on their anniversary in

may, but marriage is complicated. robby ludwig is here and clinical psychologist jeff gardier is here as well with secrets to a long-lasting relationship. starting with heidi and seal, relationships in hollywood, people are cynical, but these two seemed built to last. it's sad to see this. >> yeah. they looked happy on the outside. they spoke very well of each other. people who knew them were shocked. it just goes to show, you never really know what goes on behind closed doors. you don't know what it's like. >> they put out some nice, amicable words. we hope they have a healthy divorce. but of course the issue is if they were that great with one another why are they getting divorced? there is a lot of stuff we maybe shouldn't know. >> we don't have all the information. >> sometimes marriages don't make it. >> it bears repeating. marriage is complicated. we'll get advice for long-term relationships. the first piece is develop a realistic view of committed

relationships. this seems key. everyone enjoys the infatuation part. it can't last. >> what's not to enjoy about it? there are a lot of people that do hope the romance will look like, you know, the mythic idea. they compare their real relationship to romance and the movies and that can be very dangerous. reality never lives up to fantasy. >> at the same time you're not saying to settle, your relationship will get boring, so suck it up. >> there are cycles in marriages. it may start with fireworks and sometimes it dies down. sometimes you don't even really love one another but then you fall in love again. so if you do make that commitment to stay together you will see the ups and downs in so many different variations as far as emotions. >> the truth of the matter is exchanging partners is no guarantee that you will feel that permanent feel-good. >> right. >> listen, we don't even feel permanently good spending time

with ourselves. why would we feel that with another person? >> i've tried! who can do it? >> with every divorce you should get therapy. we're not saying that to enrich our coffers. it's important to work on your issues. if you don't you end up marrying the same person over and over again. >> that's good divorce advice, but for marriage advice, your next tip is a good one which is to work on the relationship. you can't expect to neglect it and not work at it every day and think things will go well. >> right. sometimes we treat our partners worse than anybody else in the world. the truth is simple. be thoughtful. be kind. be appreciative. behave in a way that gets your partner to know that they are loved. that's tremendously helpful. >> establish healthy habits like using terms of endearment, a kiss on the cheek every day, touch the shoulder. something that shows you really do love, even if you may not be feeling it at the moment. it's a good habit to have. >> you say to make room for

separateness. get some time apart. absence makes the heart grow fonder. >> that's true. when you are developing yourself as a person and you develop your own passion you're basically a happier person and you have something to offer to your partner and share. >> that's right. you want to mix it up, have the separate time where when you get back together you can have fireworks, inquire what's going on in different parts of your life. in couples therapy i find people are excited about one another when they have separate and distinct lives and what they share together. >> i think it adds to being able to be more objective about your partner when you have brief times away. >> you say to make the most of your differences which is a way of saying don't try to change somebody. >> relationships are about compromise. i don't see it as you being less of a person. i see you giving more to your partner and your partner gives more back to you. that's where the compromise comes along. >> it's frustrating.

if you're going to focus on the areas of your partner you don't like and try to get them to change it won't work. redefine it. you chose them because they're different. focus on what you like and how you balance each other out. >> support their personality. >> let's do our last two tips together. they go hand in hand. spend quality time together and keep it fresh. >> yeah. listen, you're a team. you want to have things to look forward to together. vacations, a special dinner. >> go out on dates a lot with one another, by the way. >> right. >> go out on dates. >> thank you for pointing that out. >> do that. it's important because it does bring the excitement back. >> mix up the conversation so you're not always talking about the house, the kids, money problem problems. >> take a class together. learn about wines. include new things into your relationship which is key. >> mutual goals are exciting. >> free advice. uh you didn't even charge us. >> not yet. >> up next, a happy milestone

for elizabeth smart. we'll get details about her engagement coming up right after this. it just wouldn't go away. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better

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better nutrition is within reach. centrum. nutrition possible. better nutrition you don't disappear at midnight. and now, you've met your match. new revlon® colorstay™ 16 hour eyeshadow. 64 colors that will take you from night to day without smudging, creasing or fading away. now to utah where elizabeth smart has announced she's engaged.

smart, whose kidnapping and safe return made international headlines, is now a college senior and planning to marry a man she met overseas. here's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: the happy young couple is set to marry this summer. elizabeth smart, the 24-year-old byu senior and her reported boyfriend, 23-year-old matthew gilmore from scotland. her spokesman tells nbc news elizabeth is head over heels excited. they have been engaged a week and are working on a summer wedding. >> the elizabeth smart story in our community is always one that draws a lot of interest, even ten years later. people are still interested in hearing about her and how and what she's doing. that includes her engagement. >> reporter: the engagement is confirmed but little has been released about the couple. elizabeth wants to keep the details of her personal life private. this after a painful and public personal tragedy. when she was just 14 smart was kidnapped at knife point from her bedroom, held captive for

nine months by brian david mitchell and his wife. elizabeth was rescued after a citizen spotted her and called police. >> elizabeth smart has been found alive. >> reporter: in the years that followed there would be trials and testimony. >> what brian david mitchell did to me was so wicked and so evil there weren't words to describe it. he had taken nine months of my life. >> reporter: a victim of sexual abuse, smart became an advocate creating a foundation to help children while moving on with her own life. >> we all have our trials and experience hard times. i don't think we should ever let it disable us. >> reporter: a devout mormon, smart traveled to france last year to serve a latter day saints mission. while in paris, elizabeth reportedly met and fell in love with matthew gilmore. >> i think people just like to see a happy ending which is why so many people are interested in this story. >> reporter: gilmore, also mormon, lost his father to cancer in 2008. there's been no public comment

from his family. it is believed the couple will marry july 1 is in utah, a promising future for elizabeth after a trying past. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> and a new beginning for them. we wish them the best. coming up next, celebrating the near of the dragon. we're whipping up tasty chinese treats in the kitchen. but first, this is "today" on nbc. @

♪ this morning in today's kitchen, we're celebrating the chinese new year. yes, we are. the author of "the cookbook noodles every day" is here to share great recipes to ring in the year of the dragon. chef, how are you? >> good, al. how are you? >> so you're known -- we're shameless. people called you the asian

julia child. >> right. >> which is a pretty high honor. >> it really is. i'm very honored. >> you're thinking you're not honored right now. trying to think of how to get out of here. what's this dish we're making? this is something traditional for chinese new year. >> this is what we have on the eve. sometimes during the day also. it's a chinese hot pot or the steam boat. it's easy to make. you can have any kind of protein you want, vegetables and each diner takes a basket, dips it into the hot chicken-based broth with ginger, scallions and so forth. >> is it boiling? >> it should be gently boiling. you don't want it to be completely evaporated. >> that would be bad. >> so a gentle boil is fine. dip as much as you want. all these things cook in no time at all. >> this is shrimp. >> squid and flounder. beef, pork and chicken. these are the vegetables.

watercress, napa cabbage. >> can you do it as a mix? >> absolutely. it's encurrently encouraged. >> can uh you you put the meat and vegetables together? >> and at the end the broth is so flavorful you add the noodles to it for longevity. >> what are these? >> cellophane noodles made of mung bean starch. >> you put those in hot water and take them out. >> yeah. they cook quickly. 30 seconds. >> we have examples there. >> right. just add them to the bowl. you have soy sauce, hot sauce. >> those aren't cooked but you get the idea. what's back here? >> back here we have dumplings. they are always nice to have. on special holidays you do things that take time to make. >> can you fry or steam these? >> fry, steam or boil them. we'll pan fry them for

potstickers. here i have peas, mushrooms, scallions and ginger. i will add tofu. the reason for the tofu filling is we have so much protein in the hot pot it's nice to have balance. so we have a vegetarian version. >> for your vegetarian friends that's a nice alternative. >> absolutely. >> you have something that looks like this. >> exactly. you make dumplings. take a wrapper and wet the edges. right here. and then you add a little bit of filling in the center. about a happying teaspoon. have a little bit of everything. fold it and make a half moon. that's the easy dumpling shape. >> oh, wow. >> that's it. >> that's all? >> that's it. >> you could make whatever filling you'd like in here. >> absolutely. >> after that we take these beautiful dumplings and add them to the pan. so there's water and oil in the

pan. >> oh, why water and oil? >> we're going to pan fry them. what happens is you do a steam and fry simultaneously. the top is steamed. the bottom is fried. that's why they are called potstickers. >> they stick to the pot. ah-ha. >> we'll cover these and -- >> through the magic of television. >> ta-da. >> look at that. >> they just fry and they are still going. what happens is the water evaporates and leaves behind the oil. the oil just makes the bottom part really golden. this is what you get. >> beautiful. >> these are potstickers. here we have longevity noodles with shitake mushrooms and watercress for long life. we are all celebrating a birthday. everybody turn as year old today. the chinese new year is the most important holiday in chinese culture and you get to celebrate a birthday. >> terrific. >> this is red bean soup. red for luck. tangerine peel for luck.

lotus seeds for prosperity and everything. >> happy new year. >> the year of the dragon. >> we love the decor, too. >> your local news is next.