Deadline for recipe contest is Friday

Impress your friends with these Super Bowl snacks from the menu of the Downriver Grill. Or, consider these recipes inspiration for making your own Inland Northwest creation.

You can enter your recipe in our Flavors of the Inland Northwest Recipe Contest. The deadline is Friday.

Winners in each of four categories will be asked to demonstrate their dish or participate in a cook-off at The Spokesman-Review’s annual Cooking Expo on Feb. 25. Professional chefs will use the winning recipes to demonstrate a four-course Ultimate Inland Northwest Meal at the Expo.

There are four categories: appetizers, salads/side dishes, entrees and desserts. Your recipe must reflect the flavors of the Inland Northwest and will be judged by a panel of food professionals. The person with the winning recipe in each category will receive $500 worth of cash or prizes. Second place winners will receive $250 worth of cash or prizes. The winner in the appetizer category will win a $500 gift certificate to Everyday Gourmet.

The appetizer category is sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Washington. Entries in the Flavors of the Inland Northwest Super Bowl Appetizers with Cheese category must be original recipes that use at least two varieties of cow’s milk cheeses.

The entries for all categories must be received at The Spokesman-Review’s downtown offices by 5 p.m. Friday.

Entry forms and official rules are available at all Spokesman-Review offices, 999 W. Riverside Ave., 13208 E. Sprague Ave. or 608 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 200 in Coeur d’Alene; Everyday Gourmet, 2829 E. 29th Ave.; or at www.spokaneiscooking.com.

For more information or if you need a last-minute entry form faxed or e-mailed, call 459-5446.

Downriver Grill Santa Fe Chicken Quesadilla

From chef Jonathan Sweat, Downriver Grill

1 (10- to 12-inch) sun dried tomato flour tortilla

1 ounce (about 1/4 cup loosely packed) mozzarella cheese, grated

1 ounce pepper jack cheese, grated

1 ounce cheddar cheese, grated

2 ounces caramelized onion

4 ounces cooked chicken in a taco seasoning, diced

Place tortilla in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cheese then caramelized onions and chicken. Once cheese is melted then fold the tortilla over. Cut into quarters.

Garnish with avocado, salsa, sour cream and chipotle mayo.

Yield: 1 quesadilla

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Downriver Grill Gorgonzola Fries

From chef Jonathan Sweat, Downriver Grill

For the Alfredo sauce:

1 quart of heavy whipping cream

2 ounces Romano cheese, grated

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

A pinch of salt and nutmeg

2 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Cracked pepper

Parsley, chopped

Mozzarella cheese

Combine the cream, Romano and Parmesan cheeses in a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and nutmeg. Heat sauce and then add Gorgonzola cheese. Add a pinch of cracked pepper and a pinch of parsley. Heat sauce until bubbling, but do not boil. Add two pinches of mozzarella cheese so the sauce has a gooey texture.

Drizzle the sauce over a large bowl of fries.

Garnish with crumbled gorgonzola cheese, fresh cracked pepper and parsley.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.