Hi,
I make pumpkin pie from scratch most years. Just cook the pumpkin down like squash - I've micro'd it, pressure cooked it, steamed it, and baked in the oven. My preferences are oven-baked and pressure cooked, much less watery. Cut your pumpkin into chunks with skin on for the pressure cooker but you can leave whole (but gutted from strings and seeds) for the oven baking. Pumpkin skin peels easily once cooked. I then make the puree in my food processor, measure 2 cup amounts and freeze in freezer bags. You can then use any recipe calling for pumpkin puree.

My Favorite Pumpkin Pie filling:

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tabl. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
2 c. cooked pumpkin puree
14 oz. can evaporated milk

combine eggs, sugars, flour, spices. Blend in pumpkin. Gradually add milk. Mix well. Turn into shells. Test for doneness when knife in center comes out clean. Bake 350 degree oven 40-50 min.

(I like to make a praline base by pressing into pie shell - 1/3 c. finely chopped pecans, 1/3 c. firm brown sugar and 3 Tabl. soft butter mixed together.Prick sides of shell with fork. Bake shell at 450 degrees for 10 min. Let cool before filling.) YUM!