BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Now in its ninth year of partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Cook for the Cure will give those who love to cook the opportunity to raise funds and help find a cure for breast cancer throughout October and beyond. To date, Cook for the Cure, presented by KitchenAid, has raised over $7 million dollars for the cause.

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Cook for the Cure gives cooks a number of ways to elevate their passion into an expression of support and solidarity. The most simple is the donation with purchase program; with the purchase and registration of any pink product from the KitchenAid Cook for the Cure line, a donation of anywhere from $5 to $50 is generated for Komen for the Cure.

Taking it a step further, Cook for the Cure also includes a unique Pass the Plate  program. After the initial purchase of each individually numbered Villeroy & Boch platter, a $5 donation is generated every time it is passed - preferably with a homemade culinary creation from the giver - and registered by the recipient. There is no limit to how many times a plate can be passed. Using the registration code, consumers can track the travels of their platters by visiting http://www.kitchenaidoffer.com/passtheplate/. Plates are available for purchase at shopkitchenaid.com for $24.99.

Beyond purchases, cooks can get even more involved with the cause through Cook for the Cure fundraising dinner parties. In a simple spin on entertaining at home, Cook for the Cure party hosts invite friends and family to come together to enjoy good food and company while supporting the quest for the cure. In lieu of traditional thank you gifts or bottles of wine, the hosts simply ask guests to leave a donation that is sent directly to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Party guides, recipes and hosting tips can be found on CookfortheCure.com by clicking on the "Learn More" button on the right under the 1,000 Cooks for the Cure section.

"Anyone can be a Cooks for the Cure party host," notes Deb O'Connor, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid. "It's all about enhancing whatever fits best into the host's food-loving lifestyle while raising funds and awareness for an important cause."

1,000 Cooks for the Cure, held in July, is a week-long event that encourages cooks across the country to join together and pledge to host their parties during a single week. Anything that involves food is an acceptable party for 1,000 Cooks for the Cure – an office luncheon, a Friday night cocktail party, a Saturday afternoon neighborhood cookout or a Sunday potluck after church.

"We picked July because it falls during an already popular party-hosting season," said O'Connor. "This makes it easier to link Cook for the Cure into gatherings of friends and family."

Cook for the Cure products available at retail include pink Artisan^® Stand Mixers that generate a $50 donation and with each purchase and registration, as well as food processors, blenders, hand mixers and toasters that generate anywhere from $7 to $25 for the cause. Also available are mixing bowls, silicone baking pans and trivets, and a host of gadgets including everything from spatulas and vegetable peelers to ice cream scoops and can openers.

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Over 90 years later, the KitchenAid brand now offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars.  To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand* visit http://KitchenAid.com.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®:  Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested more than $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

* Based on a 2010 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

SOURCE KitchenAid