Toledoan in the mix as Betty Crocker finalist

Toledoan Laura Eckel's recipe for Snow-Covered Crunch Bars sounds great, and the people at Betty Crocker agree.

Ms. Eckel is one of 15 finalists nationwide in the annual Mix It Up! With Betty cookie contest for the bars, which she describes as Muddy Buddies on top of a cookie.

The winning recipe will be picked by online voting at bettycrocker.com/community/recipecontests/cookie-contest. The contest looks for the best recipe using Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, and should be judged on creativity, taste, appearance, and ease of preparation.

You can vote for Ms. Eckel's recipe - or, truthfully, any of the other 14 finalists - no more than once a day, through Oct. 14.

Recipe: Snow-Covered Crunch Bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

2 1/2 cups peanut butter

6 cups Rice Chex cereal

1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.

In large microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and the remaining 1/2 cup butter on high about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Add peanut butter; mix until well blended.

Place cereal in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Using your hands, gently break cereal inot small pieces. Gently stir cereal into chocolate mixture until cereal is coated. Spread cereal mixture evenly over cookie crust; gently press. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Refrigerate abotu 1 hour or until bars are set. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Pink ribbons

It's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Do you know how you're going to celebrate?

Here are a couple of ideas: Eat a pizza and buy a cookie.

Cheryl's gourmet desserts will honor National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with its 'Cookies for a Cure' campaign.

Hungry Howie's Pizza will be making a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., for every pizza sold throughout the month.

Actually, that's not quite true. The chain will be making a set donation to the foundation based in part on the number of pizzas sold. In honor of the cause, the pizzas will come in a pink box emblazoned with a pink ribbon.

The Madison Heights, Mich.-based chain has one Toledo location at 5820 Douglas Ave. and area Michigan locations in Adrian (1565 W. Maumee St.), Hudson (325 Railroad St.), Milan (6 W. Main St.), and Brooklyn (250 S. Main St.).

Or, if you have more of a sweet tooth, you can nibble on some cookies while increasing breast cancer awareness.

All month long, the Columbus-based Cheryl's gourmet desserts will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from their Buttercream-Frosted Heart-Shaped Cookies (in pink, of course) to the Susan G. Koman for the Cure organization.

You can order the cookies by calling 800-443-8124 or by visiting cheryls.com.

Student chefs

It's all carbohydrates for a cause.

Wild mushroom risotto. Beef medallions au poivre. Vanilla creme brulee.

And it's all cooked and served by kids who can't even vote yet.

The culinary arts students at the Penta Career Center in Perrysburg are once again serving up the fruits of their labors at the Culinary Connection Restaurant. The restaurant is a chance for the high school seniors from five counties to gain experience working in a restaurant setting.

And it also is a chance for area residents to enjoy professional food made by tomorrow's top chefs.

Entres include a grilled Angus burger with barbecue sauce, pineapple salsa and homemade fries, ginger garlic beef, BBQ pork sandwich, lemon chicken, smoked chicken pizza, and more.

The main courses are $6 apiece, with $2-$4 appetizers, and $2 desserts.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesdays through Fridays, throughout the school year. The school is at 9301 Buck Rd.

Reservations are not required but are suggested for tables of more than five. For reservations or more information, call 419-666-1120.

Items for Morsels may be submitted two weeks in advance to food@theblade.com.