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.
Brown sugar is white sugar mixed with molasses. When you buy brown sugar, it is soft and fluffy. If stored too long or not stored properly, it turns into a rock-hard, solid brick. (Not a good thing!) There are a few things you can do to keep it from drying out.