OFFICIAL CELEBRATE THE SEASON RECIPE CONTEST RULES


WHAT IS THE CONTEST?

The Celebrate the Season Recipe Contest encourages creative cooks to create and share great homemade recipes in one of three contest categories: Fall Baking, Thanksgiving and Holiday Baking.


WHAT CAN I WIN?

Three (3) First Place Prizes

One (1) of the fifteen selected Finalist recipes in each of the three recipe categories will be judged the First Place Winner for that recipe category. Each First Place winner will be awarded a check for $1000. Approximate value of each First Place Prize is $1000.

Three (3) Second Place Prizes

One (1) of the fifteen selected Finalist recipes in each of the three recipe categories will be judged the Second Place Winner for that recipe category. Each Second Place winner will be awarded a check for $500. Approximate value of each Second Place Prize is $500.

Three (3) Third Place Prizes

One (1) of the fifteen selected Finalist recipes in each of the three recipe categories will be judged the Third Place Winner for that recipe category. Each Third Place winner will be awarded a check for $250. Approximate value of each Third Place Prize is $250.

Thirty Six (36) Honorable Mention Prizes

The Twelve (12) remaining Finalists in each recipe category will each be awarded a hardcover cookbook. Honorable Mention finalists in the Fall Baking recipe category will receive Betty Crocker's Baking Basics Cookbook (approximate retail value $26). In the Thanksgiving recipe category Honorable Mention finalists will receive Pillsbury's C'mon Over Cookbook (approximate retail value $20) and in the Holiday Baking recipe category Honorable Mention finalists will receive Betty Crocker's Christmas Cookbook (approximate retail value $26).

The Finalist recipes may be published in an upcoming Betty Crocker or Pillsbury recipe magazine. All contest prizes are not transferable, except at the sole discretion of General Mills. Each Finalist is eligible to win only one prize. All taxes and other expenses, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winners. This contest is void where prohibited or otherwise regulated. All federal, state and local laws apply. Limit one prize per person. Total value of all prizes is approximately $6114.


WHO CAN ENTER?

You are eligible if you are 18 years of age or older as of November 16, 2009, and are a legal United States resident residing in one of the 50 United States or District of Columbia during the competition.

You are not eligible to enter and will be disqualified if:


HOW DO I ENTER?

Submit your favorite recipe that is your own creation, along with a description of why it inspired you this fall or holiday season.

TO ENTER: Online entry only. Go to http://www.platefull.com/recipesubmission.aspx and submit your recipe using the online entry form, filling in all requested information completely. Recipes submitted online must include the recipe category and a description of why it inspired you this holiday season (limit 100 words for description). For the recipe, list each recipe ingredient with specific flavor, exact measurements or weights, and in the order used. Provide complete preparation directions including baking time and temperature and type of cookware or bakeware used (including exact dimensions or size). All recipes must utilize a baking or cooking method of preparation. A recipe without a baking or cooking step will not be accepted. All electronic entries must be received between 12:00 a.m. on November 16, 2009 and 11:59 p.m. on January 18, 2010 (central time).

Each electronic entry should be submitted only once. Only entries submitted via the website electronic form will be accepted. Entries submitted via any other method, including but not limited to U.S. Postal Service, facsimile or other express delivery services will NOT be accepted. Contest sponsors and their promotion agencies are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected or otherwise undeliverable mail, or entries that cannot be processed due to phone, network, electronic or computer hardware or software failure, or technical failures of any kind, whether caused by Contest Sponsors, entrants or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the promotion or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of submissions which may damage a user's system or limit a participant's ability to participate in the promotion. General Mills reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual that tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the contest or website or violates the Official Rules. In the case of duplicate recipes, the first entry received will be judged. By submitting your entry, you accept all contest rules and agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges, which will be final. You also agree that your entry becomes the sole property of Sponsors and Sponsors reserve the right to edit, adapt, copyright, publish, transfer and use it, in any and all media without compensation. General Mills reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, General Mills will select the winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by General Mills.

CAUTION -- ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY'S FEES) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.


HOW WILL RECIPES BE JUDGED?

All entries must meet the contest requirements. Recipe entries must be created by the contestant. Initial judging will be done by home economists based on the criteria outlined below:

Judges will select fifteen (15) Finalist recipes in each recipe category. Finalists will be required to certify, on information or belief, that their recipes are their own creation and have not been published or publicized and have not won a national contest. General Mills will select and supply the ingredients and cooking equipment to be used during judging. General Mills reserves the right to substitute comparable products at its discretion. Final judging will be done by a panel of food experts. Decision of the judges is final in all matters relating to this Contest.

Recipe Categories

Fall Baking

Recipes may be submitted for any type of made-from-scratch cookie or bar, bread, muffin, cake, pie, cobbler or crisp.

Thanksgiving

Recipes may be submitted for any type of ready to bring salads and side dishes, left-over ideas, stuffing or dessert.

Holiday Baking

Recipes may be submitted for any type of made-from-scratch holiday cookie, bar, candy or dessert.


WHAT HAPPENS IF I WIN?

Winners will be notified on or about March 31, 2010 for Fall Baking, April 28, 2010 for Thanksgiving and May 25, 2010 for Holiday Baking via e-mail. Winners will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and a liability release/assignment of rights and return within 5 days of receipt of notification. Any Winner who does not comply with this requirement, cannot be easily located at the e-mail address provided may forfeit prize and an alternate Winner may be selected. Except where prohibited by law, each Winner will be required to sign a release giving General Mills and its nominees full rights to use the Winner's name, likeness, image and voice for Contest related advertising and publicity, including such usage on the Internet. After accepting prize, First Place winners will not be eligible to win another First Place Prize in the three subsequent Magazine Recipe contests. General Mills reserves the right to cancel this promotion at its sole discretion. Winners will be posted on the Internet at www.platefull.com/RecipeContests/ following the competition.

The Celebrate the Season Recipe Contest is sponsored by General Mills Sales, One General Mills Blvd. Minneapolis, MN 55440