Hey my name is Treasa and i found this really great site that tells all about makint pies from scratch from the pumlkins it looks like loads of fun......you can go to

http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinpie.php

good luck and happy baking

This thread may be helpful for you also!

http://www.bettycrocker.com/CommunityForums/forums.aspx/14/304/29092

Sincerely, Cate

After over 60 years of cooking, I have never been able to come up with a product, to my satisfaction, from fresh pumpkins. First, there are Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins and Pie Pumpkins. The pie pumpkins are much smaller and darker orange in color. Living in the country and having ready access to both kinds, I have all of the equipment one would need to cook, sieve and strain food. Canned pumpkin is very dry and very smooth. I have never been able to come up with pumpkin that dry and that smooth. It's always more moist and grainy than I feel is satisfactory. With canned pumpkin so readily available and inexpensive, although the idea is great and sounds like fun, it's a lot of work with results that waste ingredients and produce, in my opinion, an unsatisifactory product. Maybe I'm just to picky, but I wouldn't serve "my pumpkin cooked from scratch" to my family, let alone a guest. Oma Shirley

no you don't want to .... those are not pie pumpkins!

go to a farmer's stand and ask for pie pumpkins ... if they say it doesn't matter go elsewhere ... it really DOES matter.

For enough pumpkin meat for a pie get 2 pie pumkins. chop into chunks. cut off outer shell. scrape and discard innards and seeds (or save for seeds for roasting), process as for any winter squash. I pressure cook but you can boil or steam, too.

you'll want to drain this cooked meat a LOT. I dump it from the pot a towel-lined sieve, fold the towel over and really push on it. Then I'll put some heavy cans on it and go away fro an hour or so. Then unfold the towel, and carefully scoop out the meat. If the meat had been extra water-logged you might need to repeat the draining process.

this "work" is well worth it ... the taste of a pie made truly from scratch is incredible

I forgot to add something pretty important (to me, at least) ... I ALWAYS put the cooked meat through a food mill ... that's the "secret" of smooth pumpkin pies, mashed potatoes, etc. If you don't have one, there's no shame in putting it in a cuissinart for a few pulses.

Hi laurarat, Be sure to have your husband there helping you so that he can see how much work that is for so little differance if any  in the taste between fresh and canned! I also agree with omamcm, I've never seen anyone get it as smooth or thick as the canned and Libby's is the best. But lots of lock and let us know, maybe you could make pies from both at the same time to taste them. granna2

I have a great recipe for pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread that calls for fresh shredded pumpkins.  

http://marloelaine.com/2008/11/08/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-muffin-recipe/

You can use regular pumpkins for this!  You can leave the skin on and just shred in a food processor.

They are lowfat if you substitute some of the oil for applesauce.

The recipe to a single batch is here:  http://marloelaine.com/2009/04/27/reduced-fat-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-muffins/

We asked our Facebook fans their tips for fresh pumpkin pies and here is what they said!

Leah Farmer
i make mine from scratch...you cut the pieces long ways & bake them on a cookie sheet with water on it. when the pieces are soft, i scoop all the "meat" out, blend with all my goodie stuff, cinn.,nutmeg, etc. I always get GREAT reviews!!

Beth Griffin
I just made a pumpkin cake using a REAL pumpkin- super exciting!! I cut the pumpkin in half scooped out the seeds (which we rinsed and baked separately) then placed the 1/2s of pumpkin face down in a 9 x 13 baking dish in about 2 inches of water. Bake at 375 for about an hour to an hour and a half~ remove from the water and let cool, then scoop out... Read More the guts into a food processor- discard the rind. Puree the heck out of the pumpkin in the food processor, let cool and measure according to recipe.
I used half for a cake and the other half of the puree I mixed with a puree'd butternut squash and a handfull of boiled carrots to make a soup! Sorry this got so long! xo Beth from Sweet Life Kitchen ♥


Bonnie Thomas
Canned pumpkin has the rind in it. Yuck!! Fresh pumpkin is the only way to go. I bake mine as previously described but without the water - it was too much water anyways -, send it through the juicer and then I freeze it in quart bags. A juicer takes all the stringy-ness out of it.

Amy Hayes
I bake my pumpkins at 360 for hour to an hour and 15 minutes (until it is soft) I also add a little cinnamon to pumpkin as it is baking. I scoop it out and usually make my pies then, sometimes I freeze it in quart size bags measured out to the amount that I need for my 2 pie recipe.

Chris Skopal
I make mine from scratch, I was cutting the pumpkin in cubes like squash, boiling them, and then food processoring them.

Jennifer Shellenbarger Sieve
From scratch is the only way to go...I either bake or steam the pumpkin, make enough to freeze for later use....sorry cannot give my secrets but the family always requests that I make my famous pies for the holidays :)

Martie Vacek
It's gotta be from scratch. No trick to it. Just bake the pumpkin till it's soft, puree it, and add the pie ingredients. Yum! I guess one tip would be to use a knife to test for doneness instead of, say, a toothpick.

Hi, My name is Maggie, from Ohio. I have been making scratch pumpkin pie for at least 30 years. I use any pumpkin,  large, or small, pie or jack-o-lantern. I have never had anyone tell me that my pie was stringy or nasty. All of my family and friends BEG me to make my pie for the holidays.  I cut up my pumpkins into 2 inch cubes. I leave the skin on and place in a large microwave bowl with a lid, and 1/4 cup of water. If it is a large amount of pumpkin, I cook it on high for 18 minutes. Take it out of the microwave and drain in colander. You need to let it cool so that you can pick up the pieces and peel the skin. Then I put it into a food processer, and puree.  I also use "Sweetened Condensed Milk" instead of evaporated milk. My family will bring me their pumpkins and I cook them down. I have always got fresh pumpkin in my freezer, and in freezer bags, they last forever.   

the recipe is.....

2 cups of pumpkin.  1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs, (slightly beaten) 1 tablespoon flower, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger. 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar.

I have altered this recipe so that my diabetic son-in-law can have it by using the Splenda sugar's.  

Good morning and Thank you Maggie from Ohio,

My name is Rachelle, I'm from California. I have a very large pumpkin just waiting to be put to use and now I know how to prep it as well as store the fresh pieces for future use. You're tips are greatly appreciated.  :)

I am in the process of working on this project now....THANKS! because w/o this i would still have a whole pie pumpkin in the fridge waiting for something i've never done before...cant wait to taste it either.

I have a great recipe for pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread that calls for fresh shredded pumpkins at marloelaine.com.  

You can use regular pumpkins for this!  You can leave the skin on and just shred in a food processor.

They are lowfat if you substitute some of the oil for applesauce.

The recipe to a single batch of the chocolate chip version is here:  http://marloelaine.com/2009/04/27/reduced-fat-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-muffins/