Beginning Saturday, when off-peak round-trip rail discounts are discontinued and NJ Transit fare hikes go into effect system-wide, an off-peak round trip from Long Branch to New York Penn Station goes from $20.50 to $30.
A quicker way to soften brown sugar is to put a moist paper towel in a plastic bag with the sugar and microwave it for 20 seconds. If you are leery about microwaving plastic, you could also put the sugar in a glass or ceramic bowl with a moist paper towel and cover it with a lid or plate.
To make brown sugar fudge, boil 3 cups of brown sugar, 3/4 cup of evaporated milk and 1 cup of butter in a large saucepan for 10 minutes. Remove the fudge from the heat, and add 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add 1 cup of chopped nuts if desired.