Sugar Sweet

Brown sugar turned rock hard? No problem! Take the heel from your loaf of bread and throw it in with your sugar. Within a few hours the sugar will have absorbed all the moisture from the bread and be soft again. This is a tip I learned from my mom and is probably well-known but I thought I'd share it anyway. :)

Here's some interesting facts about brown sugar. I learned some new things and maybe you will too!

• Brown sugar is essentially white sugar that has some molasses mixed into it. 
• Some people think that because the sugar is brown it is healthier (think white rice vs. brown rice) but it's not the case. Sugar is sugar whether it's white or brown. :)
• Because brown sugar has molasses in it, it makes cookies slightly chewier when baked with.
• Because it is not very abrasive, brown sugar makes a great exfoliant for skin.

And because I'm trying to make this post be at least a little interesting (ha ha) here's a recipe also that features brown sugar. My good friend Charlotte shared it with me and it is super easy and very yummy. Four out my five kids liked it which is really saying something for my picky crowd!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3-4 chicken breasts
Mix tomatoes, brown sugar, and pepper flakes. Pour on chicken. Cook.on low for 6-8 hours. Shred. Serve on tortillas, cheese, lettuce and sour cream. Also good on a salad.

And this concludes my informative yet slightly boring post about brown sugar. Funny, when I told my thirteen-year-old daughter about the post I was working on she responded with, "Yawn. Mom that is so boring. If you want to keep your followers you'd better come up with something more interesting." 

Well too bad, Ainsley. It's staying boring so there. Homemaking isn't too awful exciting but I for one happen to find brown sugar interesting so there! Hmm, I think I need to get out more. ;) Leave it to the teenager to "keep it real". ;)