I agree....if you are trying to sell me something it's not a party....and I don't go even if I like the people who invited me. I have gone to too many Longaberger basket parties and Lia Sophia, and....and. I don't consider it entertaining in any way to listen to a sales pitch....or to look at stuff I really don't want and try to be interested for the sake of being polite. And to get back to the original question....sort of...LOL! Two years ago last Spring I got talked into a Pampered Chef Party for the benefit of the church kitchen....so naturally I had to buy something....one of those hamburger mushers. The party was full of "sweet young things" who rarely really cooked for their family and about once a year helped with a meal in the church kitchen. They insisted we have a can opener which no one can work ( doesn't work on institutional cans at all) 3 knives in their little sheathe to keep them sharp....well one has rusted because it was put back wet and all are very dull because they are used to chop on a glass cutting board. There is also ANOTHER lettuce spinner because someone thought we needed 2, and that dumb hamburger smasher. Someone did buy us 10 of those small wooden tongs which are wonderful for sticky bars and such....but the rest was expensive junk that we didn't need. No, I don't like PC products. They are too expensive and kitchey, for what they cost. Go to a commercial kitchen supply store and have a party with your friends without any sales pitch and bad cooking demo. You'll save money and have more fun...AND get better products. Just my feelings. Linda C

If you buy the pizza pan, make sure it is stainless steel instead of aluminum, as aluminum can melt on wood/charcoal grill. If you are using a gas grill, you will not get a smoky flavor - unless you are adding wood chips - and so there would be no point. I use a pizza stone on my charcoal grill, and I still get a smoky flavor, and so I do not think the holes in the bottom are really necessary for the smoke to flavor the pizza. They might help, but they are not needed for flavor. However, all of my pizza pans have holes in them, and so there may be another function to them. I used to have five pans, but now I have four... I've never seen a Pampered Chef store, and so maybe they are only in the East. Lars

I don't know about PC but I shattered a pyrex baking dish one time by putting it cold from the fridge into a hot oven. Now if I forget to set something out that has been refrigerated I will put it in the microwave on the defrost cycle to take the chill off,then put it in the oven. Glad yours turned out OK,jasdip. This is what PC website say about the stoneware. Avoid dropping or exposure to extreme temperature changes. Do not add liquid to Stoneware after it has been heated. Always allow Stoneware to cool to room temperature prior to adding liquid or cleaning. Do not use Stoneware under the broiler or on top of a direct heat source. When removing Stoneware from freezer, allow Stoneware, and frozen foods in Stoneware, to thaw completely in refrigerator prior to placing in a preheated oven. Thaw dense frozen foods prior to baking in Stoneware. These items include, but are not limited to frozen foods such as frozen meats and entrees and unbreaded fish or chicken. Frozen prepared foods such as French fries, pizza or breaded chicken nuggets do not need to be thawed prior to baking.

It is the glaze that is cracked, or crazed. You can't feel it, but it is cracked just the same. I wouldn't use them for cooking. Bacteria gets in and stays. also, could cause and explosion in your oven next time you use them if the filling or liquid soaks down into the clay part and then heats up. I am a potter and know all about clays cracking in the oven. Happened more than once here. They were probably those cheap walmart pans you find at the holiday time. I see them every year, look so cute with a pie or cake mix in it and all wrapped up pretty to be a gift. Not really usable though. Same with some pans you will find dollar stores. They come from china and unless they are well made and the clay and glaze are of the same quality you will get those tiny hairline cracks. I have some of my pottery that I do use even though it is cracked. I just use them for fruit or something NOT liquid and I do not bake in them. Usually pottery is dishwasher safe and oven safe if made properly. For what it's worth.