Marina's Menu: Everything is PUMPKIN

Pumpkin bread and pancakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin ice cream and even pumpkin sangria. It seems that this season has something pumpkin flavored for everyone. Our favorite restaurants are featuring seasonal menus that have pumpkin recipes.

A few pumpkin-lover facts. A pumpkin is not a vegetable, it's a fruit. In fact, it's a berry. Pumpkins belong to the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes cucumbers, melons, squash and gourds. They grow in different shapes because of the climate but also different species have been developed. They should be harvested before the first frost.

Pumpkins are actually a good source of nutrition. One cup of cubed pumpkin is low in fat, only 30 calories, and is very high in vitamin A and a good source of potassium and vitamin C.

And if you haven't satisfied your taste for pumpkin as the fall season comes to a close, freeze some for winter recipes. You can actually cook and process fresh pumpkin easily to enjoy long into the next season.