DAPHNE, Ala. — Having too many cooks in the kitchen can be a bad thing.

But sometimes the more cooks there are in the kitchen, the merrier. Especially when more cooks means more dollars to help the school system offset a $75 million deficit.

Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne’s Schools — SEEDS — has begun recruiting more cooking teams to compete in its Mamma Mia Cook-off on Nov. 14. The fundraiser supports the five public Daphne schools and Christ the King Catholic School.

The annual fall fundraiser will be from 7 to 10 p.m. on the City Hall grounds. Advance tickets are $25; tickets sold at the gate will be $30 per person.

“We’re trying hard to recruit more cooking teams — hopefully for a bigger crowd,” SEEDS executive director Denise D’Oliveira said in a news release. “The schools clearly need the money more than ever.”

D’Oliveira said almost all of the teams from last year’s event will return to compete this year.

Local businesses, churches, civic groups and families are invited to compete for “Il Primo Premio,” or “first place,” in either the corporate or non-profit division.

Teams can choose to compete in one of four categories: “Carne,” or “beef”; “Pollo,” or “chicken”; “Sensa Carne,” or “meatless”; and “Frutti di Mare,” or “seafood.”

Teams will also compete for the revered Mamma Mia Award, presented for outstanding creativity and showmanship.

Festival attendees can sample from dozens of prize recipes as well a selection of wines and authentic Italian desserts.

State Rep. Randy Davis and the Jubilee Orchestra will provide a musical soundtrack to the evening; a large-screen television will be available so college football fans can stay current with their favorite teams.

Event proceeds will fund SEEDS’ Classroom Grant Program, which has provided educational enrichment and, due to budget cuts this year, operational support at Daphne schools.

“The money raised this year will provide the lion’s share of what we give next year,” D’Oliveira said. “Given the extraordinary circumstances — this money is normally used for enrichment — we told the principals to use it for basic supplies,” she said.

A portion of the proceeds will go toward essential school items, such as paying for a contract for the copy machine at W.J. Carroll Intermediate.

Other proceeds will fund enrichment programs like helping Daphne East Elementary principal Becky Lundberg establish her leadership team as she develops a professional learning community at the school.

At Christ the King Catholic, RoseMary Mitchell will use the funding to cover costs for a writing project for her students; each student will write a book and will have it published and bound.

The funding will help keep Daphne High’s student newspaper, “The Spectator,” in print.

Team guidelines are available online at seedsindaphne.org; those who register by Oct. 26 will be featured in a commemorative 2009 Mamma Mia program.

  Tickets may be purchased online at SEEDS’ Web site or at City Hall, Daphne Recreation Department, Will Hughes Catering and Market, Baldwin County Orthodontic Specialists, Riviera Utilities, the Neighborhood School, the Frame Corner or at any participating Daphne school.