Food for Thought: Halloween trivia to trick your friends

Halloween used to be associated with ghosts and goblins, but nowadays it's all about tricks and treats.

So with that in mind and Halloween just days away, here's some devilish trivia from the U.S. Census Bureau to stump your family and friends:

-- How many children age 5 to 13 will be out ringing doorbells this year? More than 36 million, and more if you add in toddlers and older youths who also go trick-or-treating.

-- How many pounds of pumpkins do growers produce? About 1.1 billion pounds in an average year, the same amount growers sent to market in 2008.

-- Where does all the candy come from? There were 1,233 confectionery manufacturers producing chocolate- and cocoa-based treats in the U.S. in 2007 (the latest figure available), plus 466 that were turning out candy corn and other nonchocolate goodies.

-- Who eats all these delicious morsels? We all do. Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2008 was 23.8 pounds.

Ouch. That's a lot of trips to the gym!

If only there was a trick to avoid those extra pounds that come with treats.

Have a great nutty recipe?

To kick off the launch of its website, the California Walnut Board is inviting home bakers to heat up their kitchens and enter the Holiday Baking Challenge Starring Walnuts contest.

Entrants who submit a stellar recipe will be entered for a chance to win a KitchenAid Mixer and other valuable prizes.

Need inspiration? Go to www.walnuts.org and check out the recipes from award-winning pastry chef Emily Luchetti. You can also find the full rules and enter the contest there.

The contest runs through Dec. 4.

New read

The books: The $7 a Meal Quick and Easy Cookbook and The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook, both by Susan Irby.

Cost: $10 each.

Best for: With grocery bills on the rise and the economy on the slide, this practical, perfectly delicious cookbook will help you feed your family healthy, flavorful meals for only $7.

Get more: Read more book reviews and literature news in Sunday's Desert Living.

*Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via e-mail each Tuesday register at tricityherald.com and click on newsletters. If you already are registered, click on edit account and newsletters to select Recipe of the Week. This exclusive recipe does not appear in the newspaper.