Kitchen Tip Tuesday - DIY Brown Sugar

I've come up with a new idea for Tuesdays.  There might be a tip every Tuesday or every other Tuesday.

On Saturday, we tuned into "America's Worse Cooks" on the Food Network.  It was interesting watching those novice cooks trying  to work their way through the kitchen.  If they knew some tips and tricks in the kitchen, they might have had an easier time while in the kitchen.

This week's tip is one that I used today.  When I went to use my brown sugar, I discovered it was completely hard.  So I used my back up plan.

Did you know brown sugar is just granulated sugar and molasses?  Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it.  I actually learned this while reading one of my favorite book series - Joanna Fluke's Hannah Swenson series.  She provides different recipes and tips through the book along with the mystery.  I don't remember which of the books I found the tip but Hannah or one of her friends did not have brown sugar so she suggested using molasses in granulated sugar.

To make  your own brown sugar:







(I added more sugar to the bowl after I took this picture.)



After making the brown sugar.



Stars of the recipe:

• 1/4 c. granulated sugar


• 1 tsp. molasses (not backstrap), more or less depending on your taste (Use cooking spray on the measuring spoon before measuring the molasses.)

Steps:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and molasses until incorporated.


2. Use in your recipe or as a topping.

I have a few ideas for other tips.  Do you have any other tips you would like to see?