I got so busy interviewing Ted Allen that Sauce almost got away from me. So let's get right to it, with a gaggle of ways you can help out:

The 10th Fall FoodShare Food Drive continues through Sunday, benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Girl Scouts and other volunteers will collect food and monetary donations at Giant Eagle supermarkets. A "most-needed" list will help guide givers. On Sunday, the 3WS Merkel in the Morning crew will be at the Destinta theaters, Bridgeville. Donate at least five nonperishable items and see a movie free, from noon until 5 p.m. A food drive at Mosites Motorsports, Route 30, Irwin, continues until Sunday as well. Watch also for the lovely Thanksgiving cards sent out by the bank and signed by CEO Joyce Rothermel. Check with your company to see if it will match your donation. 412-460-FOOD or pittsburghfoodbank.org.

Eat'n Park restaurants undertakes its 31st Caring for Kids campaign tomorrow benefiting children's hospitals. From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., purchase a chance to win a Mercury Milan and get a free Smiley cookie. New this year: $2 buys a Christmas Star flip book, featuring the chain's iconic holiday character. The campaign has raised more than $7 million since its inception in 1979. Also at Eat'n Park: the chain has added gluten-free buns, available for any sandwich or burger.

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants will offer veterans a free entree at lunch or dinner on Sunday, in honor of Veterans Day. Proper identification is required. Contact the restaurant Downtown at Oliver and Wood streets, 412-201-6992, or at 2667 Sidney St., South Side, 412-432-3260 for more information and reservations.

Also on Sunday, at 2:30 p.m. the Rodef Shalom Brotherhood and the East Winds Symphonic Band will hold its annual Music with a Mission program, benefiting the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, at Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Ave., Oakland. The free concert is open to all but guests are asked to bring a bag of kosher food or money for the food bank. For more, call Norman Kanel, 412-241-6542.

Western Allegheny Community Library, 8042 Steubenville Pike, will hold its second cookie swap on Dec. 19. Bake a batch and donate a dozen to the library, which will make up trays to sell. Exchange the rest of your cookies with fellow bakers. Call 724-695-8150, or visit westernalleghenylibrary.org for more information.

L.C. Greenwood and Craig Wolfley will host Dine with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 13 at the East Club Lounge, Heinz Hall, benefiting the American Respiratory Alliance of Western Pennsylvania. Cash bar, dinner, autograph and photo opportunities, a silent auction. Music by John Parker and the John Parker Band. A limited number of $200 general admission tickets are still available. Call 1-800-220-1990 or 724-772-1750.

The online voting is over, but the recipes for finalists in the Chex Recipe Party Mix Contest are online at chexrecipecontest.com. We were graciously sent samples and, from sweet to savory -- Pumpkin Pie Crunch, Lemon Rosemary, Deviled, Chex-icago, Buffalo -- they were all very good. The winner will be announced Dec. 2. Cookbook author Katie Lee (she used to have "Joel," as in Billy, in her name) is the face for the endeavor (and she's in town this weekend for the Good Taste Pittsburgh show at the Monroeville Convention Center; goodtastepittsburgh.com).

Submit entries until Nov. 11 to fanoflamb@baltzco.com to enter the American Lamb Board's Best American Lamb Family Recipe contest. There's a promise of "mouth-watering prizes." fansoflamb.com.

Win a TCBY store. That is correct. Submit by Nov. 30 a video of no more than two minutes telling what you offer in running the store and why your town is perfect for it and you could be one of 25 finalists. Public voting will narrow that to 10, and, after interviews, one winner will be selected. Details of how to enter and what you win (a 10-year limited license, waiver of franchise fee, store build-out, equipment, etc.) are at tcby.com.

Are you a chef? The Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation is seeking chefs to represent the United States in its annual Bocuse d'Or International Culinary Competition, to be held in Lyon, France, next year. Sixteen applicants will represent the U.S. in semifinals and finals Feb. 4-6 at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Not a chef? Check out the thrilling videos, anyway, at bocusedorusa.org, where details of the contest, established in 1983 to honor legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse, are posted.

To the anonymous writer who wondered why contest info always lists a Web site when not everyone has a computer: True, but the world and newspapers, for many reasons, are geared that way. May I suggest phoning a friend with a computer, or going to your local library or senior citizens center?

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