I didn't used to drain my pumpkin either, but that extra little step sure does improve the texture of my baked goods. Hope the sacrifice goes well, lol!
And shepherd's pie with kabocha squash sounds divine! I need to grow some of those little Japanese pumpkins, I love their flavor, and I never thought of piping it onto SP, that's totally a cool, festive, healthy, and tasty idea! Super large high five to you!
The are low carb too unlike regular pumpkins.