Peppi, they are selling the paczki here too, but as far as I can see, they're just jelly donuts, sold at a higher price, of course. Walmart, Meijer, even the local Wesco gas station, all have boxes of puczkis. None of them are good, of course, LOL. Heavy greasy squares of dough filled with jelly and coated with granulated sugar, not even powdered. I think I ought to just make my own. And wouldn't you think the bakery would make them? Nope, we actually have a bakery in my tiny town and they don't make them!! Annie

To be fair, most of my meals are pretty simple since it's normally just me. There's not a lot I couldn't or wouldn't cook, and there will always I'm sure be things I will want to try, though I don't delve particularly heavily unless I am having guests. My biggest impediment in the past has been feeling at once overwhelmed by extremely long ingredient lists in recipes, and sometimes by trying to figure out what some of that stuff is and where to find it, but I've tried to work on that and educate myself over time. I buy a lot of rotisserie chickens at Albertson's (most stores have them but I like theirs best), from which I can get several nice meals of varying types. I don't know if these are sold as "loss leaders" or fall in line with pricing of other items, but for what they cost I'm not going to put forth the effort or turn on the oven or invest in one of those Ron Popeil chicken cookers. I have found that I don't like purchased "red sauce" (eaten with pasta for a simple, quick workday meal) regardless of how I may try to doctor it so I make it, which is easy and keep it on hand that way. I go only rarely to any sort of notable steak house, but enjoy steak once in a while beyond that and am quite satisfied with what I can turn out with my All Clad grill pan at not that much cost purchased at a sale. I was surprised at the number of people who don't do rib roasts. They're not cheap, but they're very easy and if you have red meat eaters they make a really elegant special occasion meal. Baking of any kind I could do night and day and never tire of it. I'd like to learn more of the aesthetic aspect of it. Cooking is fine and I like it, though if I met up with a guy who liked to cook, I'd hand over the reins and never give it another thought, but I'd always continue with the hobby of baking.

It is getting as hot but I am surprised that it isn't smoking long before it gets to temp. This is due to the accumulated stuff in the oil Once things start getting greasy you have no recourse except to replace the oil. I have a built in deep fat fryer in my kitchen. What happens with oil after you have used it many times is it degrades and then it must be replaced . Here are some links to tips. Basically my son the chef , I am here at his house now, says...when the oil gets s%^&y replace it ! c Here is a link that might be useful: Frying with oil

CEFreeman, I think you're my NEW best friend!! Omg, I love reese and since my new oven went in, it's cookie-dough from the bag as I *try* in vain to get it on that cookie sheet and into the oven. Oh so many fails ;) But like Legallin, I actually love the smell of french fries in the deep frier and such. But I grew up with my mom doing that all the time. I guess those range hoods always pulled the "stench" out enough for me, and I maybe it's a little cultural?? What we grew up with, so it smells like home? Or maybe these folks aren't rotating their oil enough?? I always filter mine before storage (if I'm reusing), refrigerate and replace often. We also only leave the oil out long enough to cool and then place it in glass jars. I like to think all of that helps... Certainly no grease stains on my parents' ceiling after 25 years in the house and my mom fries daily at least. Or the type of oil?? We've always been a canola oil family, so maybe it's lower odor?? ...wonder what deepfried cookie dough would taste like?? ;) ...especially if it was wrapped around a reese peanut butter cup... ;)