Yes, it’s that time of year again. No, not for present shopping. That happens on December 24th. I’m talking about the shopping before the holidays, the one I do to support my baking habit.

One of the things I love about the cooler weather is the ability to turn on the oven without giving the AC a fit and the AC company executives a trip to the Bahamas. So while most look forward to soup season, my family anticipates homemade breads, cookies and pies. Think I’m kidding?

Here’s what I purchased on my recent Costco trip:

50 lbs all-purpose flour

50 lbs granulated sugar

5 dozen eggs

7 lbs butter (the real stuff—some salted, some unsalted)

2 lbs vegetable shortening

1 gallon canola oil

500 mls vanilla extract

30 mls almond extract

1 package cocoa

baking soda

Baking powder (2 canisters)

5 lbs chocolate chips

2 lbs semisweet bakers chocolate

2 lbs yeast

2 lbs rye flour

large size of instant oatmeal

3 lbs brown sugar

2 lbs powdered sugar

4 cans evaporated milk

4 cans sweetened condensed milk

7 large cans of pumpkin (I might have gone a smidgen overboard with this one)

1/2 gallon whipping cream

1/2 gallon egg nog (for baking with)

32 oz of plain yogurt (instead of sour cream)

6lbs of cream cheese

3 lbs of Arizona honey (if you have allergies and aren’t allergic to bees, honey produced in your area may help)

Large box of oreo cookies (cheese cake crust)

3 lbs of Hershey’s kisses (for peanut butter blossom cookies)

2 jars of nutella

I already had the nuts, peanut butter

Since my old pans were rusting, I also bought 2 sets of cookie sheets (Small, medium and large) and 3 sets of cooling racks at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Dang, I should have bought some spatulas:D I also bought a new 8x8in pan perfect for fudge. And did I mention the freezer bags. Cold sugar cookies are amazing provided I can get to them before my son.

I take baking seriously and kneading dough is a great way to slap something around without damaging anything. I’ve already made 3 loaves of pear cinnamon bread, which is a new recipe. And while most of my supplies will be made into yummy things to eat by Christmas, the flour, yeast and sugar will last until summer’s end.