so I am planning on using regular ole grocery store brand veg shortening (not Crisco!)...will this be a problem? At this point I really have no choice but to forge ahead, just wondering what to expect.

it'll be ok - make sure your cream is hot and beat the beejeezus out of it

NO! You will get very grainy buttercream. I tried it, had to throw out 6 qts of buttercream. I nearly cried. And yes, my cream was hot and I beat it forever! Then waited a day or two and hoped. It only got worse.

I was successful making it with regular store brand when I ran out of hi-ratio. BUT you don't have as much play time with it before it crusts past the point of no return. (of course, i take, like, for-ever to frost a cake!).

Also, don't add all the liquid all at once as Crisco can't absorb the same amount of liquid as hi-ratio - or else your b/c could become too thin/runny.

Jan H, I wish I had read your reply before I made it...It did turn out thinner than I wanted.

It is still ok, not grainy, just very soft. I will definitely use less liquid next time if this happens again. But I really just need to get some more hi-ratio. My cake store has ridiculous prices, who has best on-line deals?

I found the best deal for me would be to order off ebay:
(because the shipping was so much more reasonable than at their website)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sweetex-High-Ratio-Shortening-50-lbs_W0QQitemZ200365112203QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCookware_Bakeware?hash=item2ea6b0fb8b

HTH

Country Kitchen Sweet Art has 50# hi-ratio shortening (not sweetex) for $80 plus $15 shipping. That's the cheapest that I've found. I use it all the time & it works great.

Wow, that's a great shipping rate.

I tried hi-ratio shortening with Sharrons recipe and I hated it. I will never use hi-ratio again...and yes I tried it more than once. Store brand works great for me and is by far the cheapist way to go.