Friday marks the last day to submit recipes for Leader Publications’ annual Holiday Recipe Contest.
The contest kicked off Oct. 1.
Cooks of any age who live in Jefferson County, Eureka and Wildwood are invited to send in their favorite recipes for the five categories: appetizer, soup, salad, side dish and dessert. Readers are welcome to submit a recipe in any or all categories, up to a maximum of five entries per reader.
Keep in mind that recipes that are family favorites, which use ingredients in novel ways or have a history or story attached, are preferred. Recipes taken directly from websites or cooking shows will not score well.
The deadline for submitting recipes is 5 p.m. Friday.
To be eligible for the contest, entries must include the following information:
■ The submitter’s full name and address.
■ A daytime telephone number.
■ Complete instructions for the recipe.
■ The category in which the recipe is submitted.
■ Any information about where the recipe came from and why it’s special.
Recipes may be submitted by email at news@myleaderpaper.com; by mail at P.O. Box 159, Festus, 63028; or in person at 503 N. Second St. in Festus.
Judges will choose the top recipe in each category, and each of those five finalists will win $50 and two tickets to the Leader Holiday Dinner. Those five recipes will be prepared and served at the Leader Holiday Dinner, set for Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Jefferson College Field House in Hillsboro.
Those who attend the dinner will vote for their favorite of the five dishes, and that winner will receive an additional $250.
Since the dinner’s inception in 2014, it has been a collaboration between Jefferson College and Leader Publications, raising money for the Jefferson College Foundation. The money typically is used to send Jefferson College Area Technical School (ATS) students to culinary competitions.
The winning recipes and as many more as space permits will be published in a Holiday Recipe special section on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
For those who look forward to the Leader Holiday Dinner every year, tickets are on sale. This is the first year for the dinner to be held on a Saturday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m.
Standard tickets cost $25 per person and include a six-course meal, music, food demonstrations, and a chance to sample and purchase the college culinary department’s infused vinaigrettes.
VIP tickets that include all of that, plus three drinks (beer or wine) from the Villa Antonio Winery in the Hillsboro area, are available for $45 each. To purchase a ticket, go to bit.ly/Leader-Dinner-2026.
The college’s culinary students will prepare and serve the dinner, which will include a main dish chosen by the culinary department and the five winning recipes from the Holiday Recipe Contest.