Not all Halloween treats have to be for kids

While the children happily slurp gummy worm punch and other "boo brews" this Halloween, whip up something slightly more sophisticated for the adults to sip on.

Associated Press food writer J.M. Hirsch concocted this pumpkin martini that looks and smells like pumpkin pie with just a hint of sweetness.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 ounce chilled vodka, 1 ounce vanilla liqueur, 1½ ounces orange juice, 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree and a pinch of cinnamon. Shake well and strain into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with a pinch of nutmeg.

I suggest mixing up a big batch and doling out these spirited treats to the parents walking the candy route. My bet is your house won't fall prey to pranksters this year.

Pie of another kind: Halloween rates near the top of busiest days for pizza delivery. If you haven't put your order in at your favorite pizzeria, don't think you're out of luck.

A trip to the supermarket yields some pretty tasty options that will have your family thinking you stopped by the pizzeria on your way home.

Check your grocer's freezer case for DiGiorno Ultimate, a Kraft brand. Red pepper and red onion top the Ultimate Supreme, making it my favorite of the four-variety line. The thick crust had just the right amount of crunch. The four-meat also makes a hearty meal with Italian ham and salami plus pepperoni and sausage.

Or, pick up one of Freschetta's Pizza Amore pies. Freschetta has raised the bar for cheese pizza, piling mozzarella, smoked provolone, white cheddar, fontinella, parmesan and romano on its flavorful crust. Pizza Amore products come with their own baking trays and have been pre-sliced. Don't think you can leave a knife in the drawer, however. You still need to cut through the melted cheese, but at least the portions have been marked for you.

Pizza bites: Here are some other frozen pizza facts:

Here in the East North Central region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin), we consume frozen pizza 16 times a year, according to NPD Group, a Rosemont-based market research firm. That's the second-highest frequency behind residents of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and North and South Dakota, who eat it 22 times a year.

New Englanders (those in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island) eat frozen pizza a mere six times a year. Heck, I think I tied that number just last month.

Beyond bagels: Explore the origins of Jewish food from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive, Buffalo Grove.

The presentation, hosted by Congregation Kol Chaverim, takes a look at the history and heritage of Jewish food.

"Grandmothers didn't keep diaries. We will rely on the best efforts of various food historians to put the pieces together," says presenter Norm Singer, a Highland Park food scientist. "Consider the bagel, everyone's favorite 'grab and go.' It started life as a baygl in Germany. It was nothing like what we see and taste today."

The program is free. For details, call Debra Cohen at (847) 675-0860 or go to www.kolchaverim.org.

Cooking live: Come watch the action live as 10 contestants from across the country compete in the Simply Manischewitz regional cook-off from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 8 at the seventh floor culinary center at Macy's, 111 N. State St., Chicago.

The cooks will create their original recipes for a panel of judges (including yours truly). The recipes must be kosher, have no more than eight ingredients and must be prepared and cooked in one hour.

The winner of the Chicago cook-off will join five other finalists in New York in February as they compete for the grand prize and some $25,000 in prizes.

It doesn't cost anything to attend the cook-off, plus you'll get a complimentary lunch, and samples of the new all-natural Manischewitz broth.

Da Coach heats things up: He's a little more rough around the edges than Paul Newman, but famed bears coach Mike Ditka has his mug on a new line of salsa -- Mike Ditka's Hall of Fame Salsa -- produced right here in the suburbs.

You can try any of the four flavors (mild, hot, tequila with roasted chiles and roasted garlic) Friday afternoon at area Meijer stores. (The roasted garlic ranked No. 1 during an informal taste test in my kitchen.)

Ditka himself will visit the Rolling Meadows store (at Golf and Algonquin roads) during the sampling session and sign autographs from 4 to 6 p.m. A chef will be on hand to demonstrate additional ways to use the salsa.

A portion salsa sales benefits Gridiron Greats, a fund that provides financial and social services assistance to aging football players.

-- Deborah Pankey