“Today's” Dylan Dreyer has had a full schedule just fulfilling her weather duties on the morning show, lately. All the winter blasts, charging across the US, have kept the official resident meteorologist hopping with reports. On top of her “Today” forecasting, Dylan Dreyer has been preparing for her most important job of all for the second time around. Her unborn son is expected to make his very welcome arrival on January 8, according to mom’s latest estimate from her doctor. Just to make sure that the family didn’t miss out, the “Today” family threw a surprise, on-air baby shower for the Dreyer clan.

Her son, Calvin, along with her husband, Brian Fichera, was delighted with apple juice and cake, and their sweetest gift was big hugs for Dylan.

Even in her very expectant condition, on December 11, Dylan Dreyer managed to whip up one of her family’s favorite traditional holiday dishes, imploring all her co-hosts to give it at least one try. It's not just a dish of Dreyer heritage, as judged by the “Today” voting public. Everyone in America has likely seen the green shaped offering on a Christmas Day spread, even if he or she hasn't been bold enough to put it on a personal plate. All, but one host, had a bite and the reviews were polite but mixed. No matter what Craig Melvin thought of the dish, Dylan Dreyer’s lime gelatin side dish edged out the competition.

Not a green monster

Dreyer joined with Al Roker, Craig Melvin, and Sheinelle Jones to accept a “producer’s challenge” presented by Kate from Australia. She kicked things off with the fruity and flavorful “Pavlova” dessert from the land down under, and every host seemed to dive in with enthusiasm to taste the goodness of strawberry, kiwi, and berries floating on top of meringue and whip cream on sponge cake.

Somehow those things just appear in the “Today” studio.

Craig Melvin went first with his favorite holiday tradition, and he frequently shares the family photos to prove. This time, the newsman from NBC and MSNBC didn't model the provided sleepwear on camera, but he did say: “I would be willing to wear this,” of the red, white, and green regal-looking PJs.

“Nothing says togetherness like matching pajamas,” Melvin declared.

As always, Dylan Dreyer enthusiastically jumped in to describe the traditional treat on her family holiday table. She did, however, add the caveat that she would be “foregoing a win” due to Al Roker being “adamantly against Jell-O.” That being said, Dreyer went on to describe the dish as “so delicious,” with its concoction of cream cheese, pineapple, and lime gelatin mixed into a festive mold to sit and chill. Al Roker already had another kind of mold in mind. “It looks like it's vaguely going bad,” he hinted at first sight of Dylan's “ultimate” holiday favorite. Dreyer elaborated that the recipe was wonderful with “savory dishes” and was not a dessert.

The gang gave it the old college try, but approached their single bites as though they were eating lizards. Craig Melvin ran off-camera, confessing, “I just had to swallow it,” not sounding like a fan.

“Today’s” full-time chef and sometimes weatherman, Al Roker, put in a plug for Snake River Farms, where he orders his family’s favorite ham every Christmas. It was such a good unpaid advertisement, he may be getting free hams for life.

Sheinelle Jones stole the sweetness award, showing her kids breaking out their holiday dance routine. She recruited some “Today” staff to demonstrate, but the family tradition is a great way to work off heavy holiday calories and keep the kids from boredom. Sheinelle always takes the spirit award with her family, too.

She showed a video with the kids dancing in a bodega. She was a little disappointed that Dylan Dreyer didn’t dance, but the choice may be under doctor’s orders.

A slippery squeaker of a vote

Craig Melvin gave Dylan a hard time, saying that “my family's pajamas better beat your Jell-O thing.” It wasn't long before the people had spoken, and Dylan Dreyer was dubbed holiday traditions champion by the numbers, beating Melvin by two percentage points.

This is not the first time that Dreyer family recipes have come under question by “Today” cohosts, but gotten quite favorable receptions from the public.

Her mother's crab dip recipe has been featured on the Food Network and is highly popular on Pinterest.

Just because ingredients like lime gelatin, imitation crab, and mayonnaise are readily available doesn’t mean that they can never be made to taste good, especially just for a bite or two on a special day. A mother's love and a family table make everything taste better, and Dylan Dreyer has learned that recipe. Take a bite. A spoonful. Made with love goes down easier than Jello.
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