From Lnscommunityradio
An apple a day can do more than keep the doctor away. Find out other ways apples can help you out.
Roast a Juicy Chicken
If your roasted chicken tends to emerge from the oven as dry as a gumboot on a summer’s day, don’t fret. The next time you roast a chicken, stuff an apple inside the bird before placing it in the roasting dish. When it’s finished cooking, toss the used fruit in the garbage and get ready to sit down to a delicious—and juicy—main course.
Keep Cakes Fresh
Want a simple and effective way to extend the shelf life of your homemade or shop-bought cakes? Store them with a half an apple. It helps the cake maintain its moisture considerably longer than merely popping it in the fridge.
Ripen Green Tomatoes
If someone in your family just ‘helped’ by harvesting a few green tomatoes off the vine for you, don’t sweat. You can quickly ripen them up by placing them—along with an already ripe apple—in a paper bag for a couple of days. For the best results, maintain a ratio of about five or six tomatoes per apple.
Fluff Up Hardened Brown Sugar
Brown sugar has the irritating habit of hardening up when exposed to humidity. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to make this a temporary condition. Simply place an apple wedge in a resealable plastic bag with the chunk of hardened brown sugar. Tightly seal the bag and put it in a dry place for a day or two. Your sugar will once again be soft enough to use.
Absorb Salt in Soups and Casseroles
Salting to taste is one thing, but it is possible to overdo it. When you find yourself getting heavy-handed with the salt, simply drop a few apple wedges into the pot. After cooking for another 10 minutes or so, remove the wedges—along with the excess salt.
