Only four days are remaining in The DAILY LEADER’s 27th annualWooden Spoon Cookbook Contest, which is drawing cooks who are vyingfor cash and other prizes in the competition.

The contest ends Friday, and cooks from many surroundingcounties have already submitted their entries for consideration.The contest is open to everyone in The DAILY LEADER/SOUTHWESTSHOPPING BAG circulation area, said Lifestyle Editor CassandraJohnson.

“This year we are seeing some new cooks in the contest who aresetting their hopes high for the top prizes,” said Johnson, “andsome of our regular cooks who we look forward to getting entriesfrom every year have also submitted recipes.”

There is over $700 in cash to be given away in the contest –that includes a $300 grand prize and $50 prize for categorywinners. In addition, an abundance of door prizes area donated byarea merchants to be given to the finalists. The prizes are awardedat a cookbook reception where all finalists are invited.

Close to 200 recipes are entered in the annual contests, andJohnson is confident that totals will exceed that by the contest’send. Entries postmarked Friday, June 4, will also be accepted.

Participants can choose to enter any one or all of sevencategories this year. Categories include: Appetizers; Soups, Saladsand Fruits; Main Dish; Vegetables; Desserts and Sweets; Breads andRolls; and For Your Health.

The ‘Kids Kuisine’ category is for children ages 16 and under.Youth may enter any recipe from appetizers to desserts, one in eachfood division. Rules in the category are the same as for otherentrants. They can have help in writing the recipe but minimalsupervision with preparing the dish (if chosen as a finalist).

The Wooden Spoon contest begins with readers submitting recipesto The DAILY LEADER to be examined by a panel of judges.

The recipes are then narrowed in each category and finalists arenotified to prepare their dish for a tasting. Following thetasting, category winners and a grand prize winner are chosen.

The contest is not open to employees of The DAILY LEADER andtheir immediate families.

The maximum number of recipes accepted in the contest is 250, sothe earlier you get your recipes in, the better chance you have ofbeing included in the edition.

The winner will be announced at a reception on Thursday, June17, and cookbooks will hit the stands on Friday, June 18.