First-Time Churros

This recipe was excellent. I've been wanting to make it for roughly a year. (Even marked my intention by getting a giant tub of Crisco, which I ended up having to move across the state.) It is still deep frying, so it's not a quick weekday dessert by any measure. But the dough was surprisingly simple to make.

Just in case you decide to spring for your own tub of Crisco, here's what learned:
1) Pipe the churros onto a baking sheet instead of directly into the oil.
"dough can be coaxed into a slightly straighter shape with some gentle nudging with tongs" Ugh. This step makes me anxious just thinking about it.
2) Invest in a thermometer that you can leave in the pot of oil.
I was roughing it with an instant-read thermometer, and the temperature fluctuated a lot. Just ordered this one.
3) The chocolate sauce is totally worth it.

And some more photos, if you'd like to see...