One of my best friends used to think that pumpkin pie filling is something that comes in a can.  Quite a few online recipes lean in that direction, too, but the funniest one I read recently stated somewhat like an afterthought that if you wanted to you could cook a pumpkin yourself. 

Heck, what do you think I buy a pumpkin for at Halloween.  Thanksgiving pie, of course.  It is sort of a ritual with me that I save the seeds and dry them for snacking.

This year someone else is providing the pie, so I made pumpkin smoothies.  So yums!

 

The pie pumpkin was so sweet I only added a pinch of brown sugar, and a drizzle of real maple syrup over the whipped cream.  Now I want another pumpkin!