Cleaning My Baking Cabinet

Somehow last Sunday after making two trips to the grocery store, several trips to and from the car (a la my personalized grocery getter) and 4 loads of laundry, I was inspired to clean out my baking cabinet (After reading Bree's post recently). I wasn't going to fight it! I was too embarrassed to take a before picture, but I promise- it REALLY needed it. I know that it still looks like a big mess, but its better than before! I really need to go to the container store and get a few of those lazy susans and big glass jars for my dry ingredients... soon!

If you remember, I mentioned my baking tool/ingredient hoarder tendencies here. Well, those tendencies were validated when I found multiple packages of the same things... Oops! :) Sometimes I can't remember if I have something or not when I'm at the store so I get it anyway....Hmmm That is so something my mother does! Aren't we cute?

After I took EVERYTHING out it looked like I was preparing to go into my nuclear shelter for 10 years.

And the cabinet looked relieved. Not for long...


I began to feel the exhaustion kick in as I started the next step- so bear with me. I attempted to group my ingredients into categories. Halfway through I decided I didn't want to do it anymore...hence I failed at some, but oh well! I'm sure you know what I meant and appreciate my effort- right? Right. Thanks!

Floury Things

Bread Flour, 2x-All Purpose Flour (One in bulk), White Whole Wheat Flour, Cake Flour, Cornstarch

Sugar

Raw Sugar, White Sugar, No Calorie Sugar Substitute, 3x Powdered Sugar, 3x Light Brown Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar

Chocolate

2x Nestle Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, Ghiradelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, Milk Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, Dark Chocolate Chips, Ghiradelli Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Powder from Max Brenner in NYC, Block of Callebaut Chocolate, 2x Packages of Bittersweet Chocolate Squares, Semi Sweet Chocolate Squares

Spices and things

Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Espresso Powder, Jar of Yeast (Kept in fridge), Yeast Packets, Sea Salt, Meringue Powder, Vanilla Beans, Jumbo Jar of Vanilla Extract, Regular Jar of Vanilla Extract, Mexican Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract, Peppermint Extract, Maple Extract, Poppyseeds, Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Ground Nutmeg, Ground Cloves

Dairy Things
(Obviously not kept in my baking cabinet)

Cream Cheese, Heavy Whipping Cream, Whole Milk, Skim Milk, Butter, Shortening (No need to refrigerate), Sour Cream, Eggs

Decorating Stuff

Powdered Milk (Oops... forgot in previous group), Dino Sprinkles, Fall Sprinkles, muffin cups, Cooke cutters and 3x food coloring

Random Fun Ingredients

White Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Pure Maple Syrup, Vegetable Oil, Light Corn Syrup, Marshmallows, Marshmallow Cream, Pecans, Almonds, Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter, Caramels, Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, 2x Canned Pumpkin (not pictured)

Man those cabinets are deceivingly deep! Phew! Maybe I don't need as many things as I thought... Just some more kitchen gadgets! I'll save that drawer for another day...

What is the must-have ingredient in your baking pantry?

-M