Softening Brown Sugar

Since it's that time of year when you might be baking lots of cookies, I thought I'd pass along a great tip.
Don't throw away that hard-as-a-rock brown sugar you have in your pantry! Here's how to soften it up and make it like brand new:

Place the brown sugar in a microwave safe casserole dish. Core and quarter an apple (any kind, any size--I used an apple that had bad spots on it and not really edible) and place the apple pieces in the dish with the brown sugar. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time until your brown sugar is soft and as good as new.