The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), Madison, Wis., said it is now accepting entries for its annual Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown. The competition runs through May 15.

One grand prize winner will receive $15,000 and be crowned the 2018 Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Champion, WMMB said. More than $25,000 in additional cash and bonus prizes will also be awarded throughout the competition.

Judges will critique grilled cheese recipes based on incorporation of Wisconsin cheese, creativity, presentation and taste. This year's top grilled cheese recipes will be judged by a panel of celebrity experts — including editors from Rachael Ray Every Day and Allrecipes.com; bloggers from Cheese Sex Death and Grilled Cheese Social; Laura Werlin, author of Grilled Cheese, Please!: 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes — and previous contest champions. The 2018 winners will be announced live on the Wisconsin Cheese Facebook page in June, WMMB said.

Wisconsin grilled cheese lovers may enter their winning recipes into one of four categories for a chance to win. The Open Class is for recipe creations without any limitations — there are no restrictions on how few or how many ingredients are used as long as it has Wisconsin cheese, WMMB stated. For those who want to keep it simple, the Classic Category calls for a grilled cheese recipe using just six ingredients. The Junior Class category opens up the competition for rising chefs under the age of 18, and recipes have no restrictions. The final category — Fan Flavorites — is new this year; it will allow chefs and foodies to enter a video along with their recipe.

Last year's grilled cheese glory was awarded to Lorie Roach of Buckatunna, Miss., for her Mississippi Comeback, a tasty combination that brings together Wisconsin fontina and cheddar cheeses with fried okra and the signature southern comeback sauce, WMMB noted.

For more information about the 2018 Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown, visit GrilledCheeseAcademy.com.