we're back now with more of "today" on a thursday morning. it's the 5th of april, 2012. it's a slightly brisk day here in new york city. about 43 degrees. a little cool. but you know what? it doesn't seem to matter. we're well into spring and having a good time as the easter holiday approaches. i'matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker and tamron hall. and coming up, nearly a month after the death of whitney houston, the coroner has now finally released a final report on her death. >> that's right. and we want to report to you that it's been confirmed that it was an accidental drowning and that cocaine was found in houston's system. and there also are some more details about drug

paraphernalia, what appears to be drug paraphernalia that was found throughout her hotel room on the day that she died. so we'll have more coming up in a report about that. and then on another note, we've got our "today's professionals" all convened once again. and they'll be tackling all sorts of interesting topics from the plunging necklines that girls are wearing to prom. should schools have something to do about that? no more short skirts or anything like that. also, why some parents are actually asking other parents to sign waivers before they allow their kids to have playdates. donny, dr. nancy and star will weigh in on that. we should make them sign a waiver. then in "today's health," answers to the questions you're simply too embarrassed to ask your doctor, everything from a low sex drive to ingrown hairs and varicose veins. we'll have some of those answers to what could be causing a few of those problems. meantime, i'm having a total chick clash on tamron this morning. look how great. because you look so cute. you are so beautiful!

right? right? come on! come on! anyway. >> slightly awkward. >> we know what that means. anyway, let's get back inside. >> not that there's anything wrong with that. we're going to go inside and get a check of the morning's top stories. you guys stop. juvenile delinquents. yes, all the time. savannah, save us. >> all right, thanks, guys. we'll get to the news. new details about the death of whitney houston whose body was found in a beverly hills hotel almost two months ago now. the final autopsy report was released on wednesday. and nbc's rehema ellis is here with more. >> savannah, nothing changes with the report, and the conclusion that it was an accidental drowning. we now know new details about what was found in her hotel room at the time of her death. according to the report, items found in the bathroom include a small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it. stock kolg reports show houston

used cocaine before she collapsed and drowned in the hotel bathtub. in a drawer they found remnants of a white powdery substance and a portable mirror. but that substance is never specifically identified as cocaine. the report also details a virtual pharmacy inside the hotel suite with pills used to treat such things as anxiety disorders and resistance to infections. and according to the report, police found houston's body had been removed from the bathtub to the living room floor and rigor mortis had begun. she showed signs that a defibrillator kit had been used. houston's nose had been bleeding, and she had superficial injuries to her body. houston's family has not commented so far. and the beverly hills police department says it wants more time to review the report before making any statements, savannah. >> thank you so much. the u.n. says it hopes for a cease-fire between syrian troops and opposition forces to be in place within a week. the u.n. statement came as syrian troops launched what's

described as a major assault on a suburb of damascus. today a pretrial hearing for former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky. he's facing 52 criminal counts for allegedly abusing ten boys over 15 years. sandusky is trying to have those charges dismissed. he's scheduled to go on trial in two months. five former new orleans police officers were sentenced wednesday to prison terms ranging from 6 to 65 years in connection with the deadly shootings of unarmed civilians in the wake of hurricane katrina. they were convicted of civil rights violations and a cover-up, conspiring to plant a gun, and fabricate witnesses to justify the shootings. police shot six people, killing two of them on a bridge less than a week after katrina hit. new census figures show that for the first time in more than two decades, more americans are staying closer to the big cities rather than moving to suburbs. economists say a struggling housing market and high gas prices may explain that shift. a state trooper says there

was something unusual about a car that cut him off and then drove into an hov lane in washington state. so he pulled the car over, and here's what he found. an inflatable doll wearing a sweatshirt. it turned out to be an expensive commute for the driver and his dummy friend. it cost almost $250 in fines. it is 9:05. back to al with a check of the weather. but it is tempting to do something like that, right? >> turns out he was the dummy. not really the way to go. where's waynesfield? >> just outside in ohio. >> in ohio. >> in ohio. there you go. bright shirts. we've got another area of severe weather showing up. look at all of that moisture coming up. and that's from new orleans, jackson up to nashville, out to

augusta where we could be looking at problems for the masters today. you can see those showers and thunderstorms firing up. we've got tornado watches in effect throughout parts of the area as well. rainfall amounts anywhere from one to three inches along the southeastern atlantic coast back on into the appalachians. that's what's ia that's your latest weather. now here's savannah. ♪ and i be taking care of business ♪ >> so dramatic. now to "today's professionals." our panel of power players weighing in on a hot topic

making news. star jones is an attorney and author. donny deutsch is chairman deutsche incorporated and dr. nancy snyderman, not too bad either, nbc's chief medical editor. good morning, professionals. >> she gets more joy out of crushing sarah palin than me. >> you're her favorite person to punch. you always will be. let's start with the o.j. simpson case. it's back. there is a new book that's stirring some controversy, as you might expect, the author contends that he's done his own investigation and points the finger at simpson's son, jason. star, i'll let you start on this. >> you know, i feel like every time i try to get out of this case, they pull me back in. i've been covering it now for almost 20 years. jason had an alibi at the time. and he's the old of the son. and believe me, the police did more investigation than anybody could ever imagine on whether or not jason would have had the time to have left his kitchen and get there and commit these murders. i just think it's the most fascinating trial because people still have their own theories of how it went down.

>> which brings me to my point with donny. there's still a cottage industry around the o.j. simpson case. >> this is a guy selling a book. who are we kidding? i don't think anybody in their right mind thinks o.j. was innocent, even though he was found so by the grand jury. i do believe that, but they're saying their son is also african-american. my point is this is a guy selling a book. give me a break. >> i was just curious what star thought. she covered the trial. we've never talked about it. >> actually, i would have never found him guilty based on the evidence in the criminal trial. >> because of mark fuhrman? >> mark fuhrman was just one aspect. there was so much reasonable doubt in that courtroom. no question whatsoever. >> do you think he did it? that's a separate question. >> in the civil trial, i absolutely would find him liable, no question whatsoever, absolutely. the case went in perfectly in the civil trial. in the criminal trial, there was enough reasonable doubt that anyone could have found him not guilty. >> there's a difference between innocent and not guilty.

>> there's absolutely a difference, but that's the criminal justice system in america. >> you guys both think he did it? >> yes. >> okay. we'll move on, then. all right. prom dress codes. okay, it's prom season, everybody. so apparently there's been kind of a crackdown on how risque these prom dresses can get, and they can get pretty risque. west lawrence high school in dexter, georgia, actually created a slide show that showed appropriate and inappropriate, what you can wear, what you can't wear. nancy, do you think this is a good idea? >> i have no problem with this at all. this is not the "golden globes." there's are teenagers going to a prom, and the school's in charge. if there's a dress code, girls, suck it up and wear appropriate attire. >> even these are kind of sexy. >> look, i'm a dad of girls. >> but they aren't prom ready yet. >> thank goodness for that. my older one is. it's up to the parents. every time we do -- listen to me. >> i am. >> we put it on the media and we put it on the schools. to me, you are taking away what i think is the obligation of a

parent to make it happen. >> but donny, if the parents were rising to the occasion, maybe you wouldn't need these guidelines. >> look, save something that is pornographic or save something you couldn't wear on television -- it's a slippery slope. >> if sarah palin were here today, you and sarah palin would be on the exact same page. >> it's a slippery slope. to me, it's about the parents. my daughters would never be in an inappropriate dress because i am the parent. >> don't you remember that young girl, the one that wanted to have the high school picture with her booty up and i called it a stripper pose? her mother was sitting there right next to her, bravo, baby. >> i think this whole slutty dress thing is horrible. who draws the line? a skirt up to here? i think the school has a right, if some woman is wearing something that in any form would be -- you couldn't wear on this show because it's either showing something you couldn't show, but i think it's a dangerous thing, and it's up to the parents. and shame on the parents if they can't take care of it. >> there is a double stashndard.

if the photograph can't go on the mantel next to jesus -- >> i don't know if you've been to a bar mitzvah or not. >> sex symbol. >> the guidelines aside, do you think prom dresses, young women's dresses have gotten too sexy in. >> everything has. you go on halloween, it's not a nurse, it's a slutty nurse. it's not a teacher. slutty is the new black for women. >> wow, that's catchy. that's going right on bumper stickers. >> fashion is so wrong. >> our next topic. i know you'll weigh in on this. the masters tournament and women. once again, it's drawing criticism in some quarters because it still refuses to admit women as members. it's come up again because ibm, a longtime sponsor, now has a ceo who is a woman. and the head of the club is really peppered with questions from reporters about this. >> i think that what she's done at this point is say it's up to the board and we're going to go

sponsor. i think she's missing a tremendous opportunity. >> i agree. >> she's a ceo and a woman. to come out and say, hey, look. when you sponsor something, you are literally endorsing it. and to all of our female employees and our female customers, this is not the appropriate venue for us. they can find millions of ways to spend their money. i think she's missing an opportunity. >> by that measure, why doesn't every ceo who is a sponsor of the masters do it? >> by the way, i think the fact that she's a woman is a major opportunity for her on behalf of ibm -- i think ibm would look great in it. why don't they do it? we all know the reason. >> no, why won't they do it? >> ibm does not do the masters. >> you know why they lovitz sponsors? because they love going down there and taking -- by the way, you don't need the masters. you can spend -- you can spend that money any way and reach the same audience. >> let's let the ladies in on this. do you think the masters should have to admit women? >> i don't think that they should have to admit women.

>> you're kidding me. >> no. >> i think they should. >> it's a private club, but they shouldn't have to have my money. that's the difference. >> okay. >> see, they have a right to say -- their membership. >> i don't agree with that. >> it's a private club, so legally they have the right to say. >> how about morally? >> absolutely. >> but i wouldn't support them either. >> do you think they have a right -- >> the female ceo should set the trend. >> wait a second. >> it's an antiquated rule. >> do they have a right to say no blacks? >> no. >> you said they have a right. >> i do believe that they can distinguish. if they don't want blacks, they don't want whites. >> you're full of baloney. if this was about black people -- >> i just wouldn't play at their club. >> you'd be on here tooting your horn. and rightfully so. you'd have a right to. >> no, i disagree with you. >> it is illegal for them to say they don't want black people? >> it's illegal for race

purposes. it's illegally for you when it's a public accommodation. this is a private club. >> but if the masters says, because they admitted tiger woods, saying he was going to win, but they did it because they knew he had a chance to win. >> i don't know if they would have black people otherwise. >> they don't. >> no, no. i actually think -- >> this is -- >> it's antiquated. it's antiquated. >> are you going to boycott the masters and not watch? >> i have no masters. i think they have one jew, and i have a big issue with it. enough is enough. this is america, kids. we're in 2012. this is bad stuff. >> we don't think this is a good idea, donny. the point is, this is a private club. the law does not prohibit it. that's my point. >> so boycott the masters. >> there's your answer. >> are you here to have a whole debate on hot topics, and you have not disappointed today. star, donny, dr. nancy, thanks. coming up next, from cold sores to a low libido, we are answering your embarrassing health questions, the things you don't want to talk about with your doctor, we're going to talk

about them live here on television. and later, dressing to impress the next time you go out on a date night. but first, these messages. sweet, nutty crunchy nut... can't wait 'til morning. wait. ♪ it's morning in the himalayas...

[ male announcer ] it's sweet. it's nutty. it's absolutely delicious. kellogg's crunchy nut. it's morning somewhere. and the family car to do an experiment. we put a week of her family's smelly stuff all in at once to prove that new febreze car vent clips could eliminate the odor. then we brought her family to our test facility to see if it worked. [ woman ] take a deep breath. tell me what you smell. something fresh. a beach. a clean house. my new car. [ woman ] go ahead and take your blindfolds off. oh! [ laughs ] look at all this garbage! [ male announcer ] introducing new febreze car. eliminates odors for continuous freshness so you can breathe happy.

carol. fiber makes me sad. oh common. and how can you talk to me about fiber while you are eating a candy bar? you enjoy that. i am. [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one. # this morning on "today's health," your embarrassing questions answered. we all have health concerns, but some aren't exactly easy to bring up with your doctor. so here to help us out is dr. carrie peterson, an internist and contributor to "women's health" magazine. good morning. good to see you. >> good morning, tamron. >> a lot to get to.

and i love the fact that -- this is true -- a lot of people are too embarrassed sometimes to ask questions. >> oh, absolutely. we're talking about some touchy questions. >> touchy but real. here's the first one. my friend had a sip of my drink and had a cold sore. i kept drinking it. what are the chances that i get one? >> ooh, that's a good question. let's just talk about what we mean when we say a cold sore. a cold sore is the blister that happens outside the mouth. >> on the lip area? >> on the lip area. it's not a canker sore, which is the ulcer that happens on the inside of the mouth when you chew your lip or bite your cheek. so are cold sores contagious? they are. they are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. that is pretty well known because the blisters can shed the virus. >> right. >> they also can be spread even if you don't have the blister. but here are the questions about are they spread? the answer is possibly. possibly. what we know is that the herpes virus can survive on surfaces in warm, humid environments for

four hours. studies have demonstrated that. now, is a cup warm and humid? no. but -- >> if it has hot chocolate, it is. >> exactly. feasibly if someone takes a sip, it gets transmitted, you drink it, you could get it. >> which means don't share the cup. >> take precautions. >> the next one is interesting. this person writes, i got married six months ago, and i find myself disinterested in sex. is there something wrong with me? >> oh, no. not at all. i mean, our sex drives fluctuate even throughout the month related to our menstrual cycle. >> so it's more common in women than in men? >> yes, it is more common in women. and there are so many factors involved. first, there's hormonal changes. be it your menstrual cycle or pregnancy or menopause. medications can do it like antiseizure medications, antidepressants and birth control. there's also medical problems that can do it like diabetes or an underactive thyroid and iron deficiency. other factors, if you're obese or you're anorexic, these are

actually cause fluctuations in your sex hormone levels influencing your sex drive. not to mention some women have self-image issues when they have these conditions. >> what about just being tired? >> that's a very common cause. women are exhausted. we spread ourselves too thin. that can absolutely influence your sex drive, stress, anxiety, depression. and even if you have an issue in your relationship, drug and alcohol abuse can do it, too. >> so before i get to the next question, though, you should talk to your doctor about this candidly. >> absolutely. your physician will need to rule out some of the thingshat can be treated. and if not, then it may be an option to speak to a counselor who does deal with sexual health. >> up next, this one's interesting. the person writes, i recently got a bikini wax and developed an ingrown hair. is that dangerous? first, what's an ingrown hair? >> an ingrown hair, very common from waxing. what happens when you wax is the hair cannot -- it can be removed from the root, brought it can break. and if there's a short, sharp edge, it can sort of turn on itself and embed in the skin. and then that can cause a little

inflammation. and it creates this little red bump like we see here on the visual. what can happen, complications are bacteria can get trapped under the skin creating an infection. >> that can cause an infection? >> a little infection from the bacteria that's on the skin getting under the skin. normally it goes away on its own. sometimes you just need to use a little warm compress. sometimes it can get a little more severe requiring antibiotics. and in the long term, what can happen if you get them often, it can cause the skin to pigment or to scar. so at "women's health," we recommend if you're getting them often, try to stop waxing and seek an alternative for hair removal. >> like laser. there are products they sell over the counter that are supposed to exfoliate the area. can that help? >> that can help. exfoliating can prevent the skin from building up over the hair. >> let me get to varicose veins. i'm embarrassed to bear my legs. how can i get rid of unsightly veins and prevent them from coming back? >> it's very, very common. first off, the initial treatment is conservative just to prevent

them from getting worse. that includes exercise. don't cross your legs when you're sitting like we are. elevate them. don't wear tight clothing. lose weight. also, you can wear compression stockings to try to help. but in terms of more invasive management to treat them, there's noninvasive and there's invasive. for noninvasive, we've got laser and sclerotherapy. these cause the veins to collapse. for more invasive, you can use a laser ablation or a radio frequency ablation. these go in the vessel. >> those are good options. thank you so much. a lot to get to. appreciate it. thank you. if you have any embarrassing health questions, head to today.com and send them in. still to come, two women get the ultimate surprise on the plaza, an "ambush makeover." we'll show you their amazing new looks after these messages. flo, and karen for a girls night out talking about activia. i tried it and my body felt so right, for a change.

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cominging up, easy easter

crafts to do with your kids. >> getting decked out for a date on a budget. >> and meals you can whip up in no time. first, your local news and weather. nual bonus. and who doesn't want 50% more cash? ugh, the baby. huh! and then the baby bear said, "i want 50% more cash in my bed!" phhht! 50% more cash is good ri... what's that. ♪ you can spell. [ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash. what's in your wallet? ha ha. ♪ ourself ha ha. at olive garden. choose from 6 items like the new calzone, or half a flatbread, or a half panini. have it with unlimited soup or salad, and get plenty of breadsticks. it's your lunch, your way, and it's just $6.95 at olive garden. and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. [ woman ] lower cholesterol. [ man 2 ] yummy.

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>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news update. >> cool morning, but high- pressure is bringing us sunshine. we will pick up a few clouds, but no rain in the forecast. high temperatures in the upper 50s to around 60 degrees.

♪ that's nicki minaj. she's got a new album out released just this week. she'll be here tomorrow on "today" exclusively to sing a couple of tracks for us live. ♪ sorry. i just kind of zoned out there for a second. also, we're keeping up with kim kardashian. the reality star and business mogul will stop by to tell us what she's got going on now. and at least 72 days into the future. that's all tomorrow right here on "today." >> al. >> what? >> you know what you did. anyway, just ahead, if you're planning a night on the

town with your husband or cocktails with your girlfriends, we'll show you the best beauty products, clothes and accessories to get you all decked out without breaking the bank. >> that is an adorable dress. and in "today's kitchen," if you're stuck making the same dinners week after week, we've got some go-to recipes that you can whip up fast without a lot of mess especially if you're a busy parent and, of course, easter is this sunday. >> yep. >> on an updated take on the traditional easter basket and some fun crafts that you can do with the kids because after all, after dinner, they're going to get bored because all kids become bored at some point. and then you can do these. >> or even before. while you're making dinner, they're bored. let's get a check of the easter weather forecast. >> let's look ahead, show you what's going on. for tomorrow, beautiful in the northeast. cool around the great lakes. showers in the pacific northwest. sunny and mild from the gulf into the southwest. then as we move on to saturday, we're going to see some clouds along the pacific northwest coast. looking for some chilly conditions in new england. hit-or-miss showers,

thunderstorms. then easter sunday, we're looking at some snow showers in new england. rain in central texas. some showers along the coast. and in the pacific northwest, we've got a big easter rabbit right there. that's what's going on around the country. an e and by the way, we have a new backup dancer nor nicki minaj. >> who is that? you? you're going to dance with her tomorrow? >> oh, yeah. ♪

>> i just said, tamron, that's pretty good. she goes, pretty good? it's really good. >> why do you have to out me all the time? >> i don't know. >> you threw her under the bus, and i'm the one who brought it up. >> thank you, al. up next, looking hot for a date night. we'll show you what you need to get all dolled out. bust out your nicki moves right after this. signed up weeks ago♪ ♪ sunlight says get up and go ♪ mountain-grown aroma coming through ♪ ♪ a new challenge waits for you ♪ ♪ ♪ jumpin' into something new ♪ you really see all you can do ♪ ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up ♪ is folgers in your cup

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thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. my inspiration for quitting were my sons. they were my little cheering squad. [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. [ female announcer ] gross -- i'll tell you what's really gross: used dishcloths. they can have a history that they drag around with them. for a cleaner way to clean try bounty extra soft.

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introducing gold choice. the freedom you can only get from hertz to keep the car you reserved or simply choose another. and it's free. ya know, for whoever you are that day. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz. this morning on "today's style," getting decked out for a night out. whether you're going on a first date, downing with your hubby or grabbing drinks with the girls, you do not have to spend top dollar. today "us weekly" contributor jill martin is here with everything you need. good morning. >> good morning. >> you're ready for a night out. >> i'm ready for my nicki minaj dance. >> you'll be called for that in a few minutes. everything you see is under $100. >> i think everyone gets stressed out. you don't have. there's seven easy steps that will make you beautiful without breaking the bank. >> the first thing, what we eat. >> i called in joy bauer and

asked her what will keep us energized and our skin glowing? this is her beauty blend. you want to try it. it's fiber blus anplus antioxid. this will help you start your day and your skin will start to glow. i don't know if you can tell. >> you are glowing. >> blinding, right? that recipe is on today.com. start your day healthy with a smoothie. then this looks a little crazy. >> this doesn't look that attractive for a date. >> barenecessities.com, $20 and up. when you wear a dress, you want everything to be smooth. these are all seamless. seamless panties. they will not show any lines. all different colors and patterns. if you're wearing a low-cut dress but you still want structure and, you know, a little bit of help, this will -- and we just showed two different colors -- but you could wear a low-cut dress and sill have the support here. >> oh, okay. it's kind of like a slip. or a girdle. >> a girdle that gives you support and look good.

this isn't the sexiest look, you know. >> no, it isn't. keep your clothes on with this outfit. >> that's for a first date. >> next, makeup. >> this is so great. this is a new line, pixie glow, available at target, $8 and up. just have this on hand. look at all these colors you can experiment with and play. they have pixie dust that you could put on. it's really all about the experience of getting ready. and that's why we have flowers everywhere. you should just really make it fun. >> you could throw it in your purse. >> a fun, girly day. this is great. then we move on to sef fphora. have fun with your nails. it's a pop of color and a way to get in on a trend. this is all the different nail things from sephora and then shimmer. i always put shim other before i go out. >> and does that work? >> it works. does it work? how do i look? >> you're a man magnet. you look fabulous. >> i'll take man magnet. >> a little shimmer. >> what to wear. >> this is amanda. she's wearing a jennifer aniston

dress that was thousands of dollars. i think we have the picture of jennifer aniston wearing it. this is the same exact dress that was available days later. >> it's not a knockoff. this is the dress. >> so 10% of what the retail price is, you can rented it for. >> wow! >> this is gorgeous. another example is in the back. badgley mischka. >> also a rent the runway. >> $60 for my big night out. all dressed up and no place to go. hopefully after this segment. this is an amazing site. they also send you two sizes so you can, you know. and the ability with tape and ability to put it on you so it fits you perfectly. >> that's great. thank you, amanda. you look good. shoes, you've got to wear the high heels, i guess. >> but you don't want to spend designer prices. $60 and up, ninashoes.com. colors if you want to wear your little black dress and spruce it up. and bauble bar, all $50 and under just to get in on the statement jewelry trend. baublebar.com. >> you could wear something

plainer and have a pop of color. got it. >> almost to the end of our getting ready process, packing the perfect clutch which i know a lot of women have problems with. missandmisses.com. all of these things come in this little pouch. advil, dental floss, clear nail polish if you have a rip in your stockings, eye drops, even one for him. so if he has a little bit of a situation, you have everything. that will all fit in. and then sephora.com has mini br brushes and nail polish and never be in a bind. >> last but not least -- >> skymall.com, $59, i always run out of juice when i go out. i always run out of cell phone juice. keep a battery on hand or get a case with a battery in it, and you will be all set with your seven steps. >> but if it's a really good date, hopefully you're not texting and wearing down your battery. >> hopefully if it was great, you can call and kind of recap. >> no, you can stare at your

phone and wait for him to call. jill martin, thank you so much 367 for more, pick up "us weekly." next, go-to recipes for busy parents any night of the week. that's coming up. wow! the best in the world. ...some chocolates swiss! ah...the best in the world. oikos greek yogurt from dannon. really? wait until you try it. so creamy thick and fresh tasting dannon oikos berry flavors beat chobani 2:1 in a national taste test. mmmm... this may be the best in the world. oikos greek yogurt possibly the best yogurt in the world. wait. ♪ it's morning in the himalayas... [ male announcer ] it's sweet. it's nutty. it's absolutely delicious. kellogg's crunchy nut. it's morning somewhere. i've dealt with all types of tax problems.

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this morning in "today's kitchen," what's for dinner? how about parent-friendly solutions. katie is the author of the "mom 100 cookbook" filled with go-to reci recipes. katie, good to see you. >> great to see you. thank you. >> this is a great idea. you know, you get into a rut. you're doing the same recipes over and over. what's great is they're quick and they're all in one skillet. >> exactly, one skillet to clean and quick and easy. everybody gets stuck doing the same five or so recipes. here's two to shake it up. we've browned a couple pounds of ground beef. >> you could use turkey. >> turkey, absolutely, chicken. we'll heat up a little olive oil in the same skillet that we browned the beef in. and if you would just add that in. >> what do you got? >> onions, carrots, peppers and garlic. right in the skillet. and we gist sauoug just saute t or five minutes, get it a little

tender. the ground brief which has been drained right back in the skillet. this is great. i'm not doing anything. this does not happen to me at home. you can come on over. >> the great thing is you're getting some vegetables in it. >> absolutely, vegetables are built right in. speaking of which, we have a couple cans of crushed tomatoes. those go right in as well. and we have worcestershire sauce. oregano. a little bit of chili powder. if your kids are heat averse, you can skip it but it adds a nice little kick. also, if you would add two cups of water. that goes right into the skillet. now, in realtime, we would simmer this down for about five minutes. here's the great part. the pasta also goes right into the skillet. >> uncooked. >> uncooked. that's going to cook right in the sauce. >> so you cover it up? >> we cover this up. let it do its thing for about ten minutes. and then after ten minutes, this is what you have.

>> nice and bubbly. >> exactly. and then the last thing -- >> oh, cheese. >> two cups of cheddar just sprinkle it right over top. >> two cups. four would be better. >> it would. and now you cover it. it would be better. >> wouldn't it, though? >> let it sit. the heat will melt the cheese right there. >> oh, oh! wow! you know, you don't even have to bring plates to the table. just set this in the middle and give everybody a spoon. >> you definitely want to put this in the middle of your table, no question. over here, a little more elegant but also still in one dish. we're doing chicken picatta. and first you take your chicken breast and you just dredge it in a little bit. you can poof up the flour like that. if not, it's your choice. dredge it in a little flour. then saute it in the skillet and set aside. you don't cook them all the way through, but you could if you have a kid who's a little finicky, just wants one plain chicken breast. now in the same skillet, sauteing up some garlic and onion just until tender.

and then we're going to add a little bit of white wine. >> deglaze the pan a little bit. >> exactly. and some chicken broth. and then the chicken breasts will -- if you can hand me the tongs, that would be awesome. >> we're running out a little bit. >> so the chicken breasts go right back in. finish cooking in the broth. the breasts go onto the platter. the sauce is reducing. we finish it up with a little lemon juice, a little capers and some butter. >> you could even serve it whole like that. >> exactly. >> with some rice. >> spoon the sauce right over it like that. >> you've got great brownies for dessert. >> one pot. >> katie, we'll put the recipes on our website. >> great. thank you. up next, we've got easy easter crafts for your kids. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] with xfinity,

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♪ happy easter ♪ happy easter >> we're getting a lot of mileage out of that song this week. this morning on "today celebrates easter," kid-friendly crafts. >> you all remember those woven baskets with goodies as one of the best things about easter. >> absolutely. and jody levine is editor of "martha stewart living," and she's here with the updated version of the easter basket. good to see you. >> you, too. >> you look beautiful in your top. these crafts look great, too. >> these crafts are really easy for easter because easter is soon. so we have great, great last-minute stuff to do. >> we'll put it to the test to see whether they're easy, whether we can do them. what's the first one? >> do you remember these? the traditional kind of fun way for kids to get treats. they're wrapped in crepe paper. they're surprise bulbs and they're wrapped in crepe paper. it's a fun way to give out treats. the treat's hidden inside a ball. >> cute. >> they're made with these crepe paper streamers.

let's just get started. so you take a little treat or a little toy or a little piece of candy. you can pick what your favorite is right here. >> what's the easiest? >> yeah, that's perfect. and just start rolling and rolling. and the goal is to make a nice big ball. >> okay. >> and it looks kind of crazy at first. but as you roll -- and then after it's pretty covered, you take another toy. taking a little yo-yo. and i'm just going to roll and roll and roll. >> i'm going to take this reptile. >> and this crepe paper you just get at the party store. >> okay. >> and the little treats, too. so it's one-stop shopping. you're going to keep rolling. it takes a little while. and i have one that's already done. >> okay. >> so i don't make you wait. when i got to the end, you don't have to use the whole roll, but when it's big enough, just take one little dot of hot glue and tack it down easily. >> okay. >> you can keep rolling if you want. so i'm going to take a dot of hot glue also and put the ears on. >> all right. >> these are made out of crepe paper. >> yep. >> and you just tack it on like that. >> do you need hot glue? >> you can use white glue as well.

>> cute. adorable. >> see how cute that is? >> adorable. let's see what else you got. >> these are little flower bulbs. they're really easy to make. they make a great centerpiece. >> so how do you do these? >> believe it or not, one of my favorite craft materials are coffee filters. i'll give you a stack. this is just food coloring and water. you can do it however you want. oh. that's good. i should have told you. sorry, my fault. the teacher's fault. just take a little dip like this. you see how it makes an edge like a daffodil with like the white center? and then just set it aside to dry. that's already dry. and then take one and fold it in half. i have one i folded in laugh. now, i took scissors and i just snipped that. you have some scissors right there if you want to get started snipping. >> okay. >> and then you round off the corners. >> i'll keep doing that. why don't you help tamron down here. >> then you just glue the cup to

the center. >> and you're done. and look at that. bingo. >> these are easy, too. take some shopping bags that you have like gift bags, lunch bags. >> perfect. anything you got. >> i drew a line on it already. >> okay. >> cut it off. i use these pinking shears. you can do one as well. >> okay. >> i have one there for you if you want to. >> i would love to. >> okay. and then -- see, these are easy, right? there's your easter basket. it's in the shape of an easter basket. you take a strip of paper. you can use grocery bags, whatever, to make the strip of paper. take a dot of hot glue. you can use white glue. and fill it with all these fun things and stickers. >> great job. >> adorable. >> thank you so much. coming up, "ambush makeover" for two lucky ladies today. >> of course. and we'll actually give them some of these baskets as presents. first, your local news and weather.