Butter...

[rp2813]

Eddie, I'll remember your 10% rule next time.  I have a Panasonic "inverter" microwave which supposedly reduces the intensity of the zapping rather than pulsing it on and off, so I'll see how it does.  It's rated at 1300W so it might take less than a minute.

 

[countryguy]

I always keep butter in a covered dish as well as I hate trying to spread hard butter on toast or fresh bread. I don't use a lot of butter any more so sometimes it may be several days before it gets used up and I've never had a problem. I also do not put ketchup, mustard or peanut butter in the fridge.

Gary

 

[askolover]

I just keep a bowl of spreadable Blue Bonnet or squeeze Parkay around for that purpose.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I Gotta Get a Country Crock CROCK!!!!

I love butter/margarine tubs! The best thing about 'em is putting mashed potatoes in 'em to help clean 'em out when they're done!

 

 

-- Dave

 

[michaelman2]

Grater

To soften butter for spreading or cooking you can grate solid butter on a grater and this will produce a nice texture for spreading and / or measuring.

 

[circlew]

I rarely use butter, as it's something I'm not supposed to eat much of. I rarely use it all before it's past the "use by" date. Unless I'm baking something, I buy the Land O' Lakes butter with canola oil in a small tub. It always stays refrigerated.

 

[panthera]

My parents kept butter out on the counter

And it never spoiled.

We keep it in the refrigerator and it's a major pain in the butt.

Unfortunately, the dawg is a genuine Mrs. Butterworth and there's just no way to stop her - she'll drag a chair over to a countertop and climb up to get the butter (and this is the four legged person who won't eat her kibbles and bits if the bowl is 1cm away from its usual place).

 

American butter is good for cooking, but real Irish butter is for eating fresh. 

 

[xraytech]

I also leave a stick of salted butter on the counter at all times. Sometimes it takes me 2-3 weeks to get through a stick.
I buy the European butter. The excess butter I keep in the freezer and take a stick out as I finish one

 

[foraloysius]

What's the difference between American and Irish or perhaps European butter? Irish butter is not available in the NL, but when I'm in Germany I buy Kerrygold Irische Markenbutter. Overhere in the NL I buy butter made from milk from grass fed cows.

 

[firedome]

We make our own butter sometimes...

it's not that hard, and worth the effort! But most of the time we keep Cabot sticks in the butter keeper, always in the fridge for freshness. Spreading? Not an issue as we put it on in 1/8" pats and completely cover the whole bread/toast with it. Never use margarine except for baking. Cholesterol stays around 160-ish, unless you have that metabolic issue butter and fat is not harmful. We can buy Kerrygold at Wegman's but prefer Cabot from Vermont. AFAIC butter is the 5th food group!

 

[circlew]

I was told by the cardiologist after a heart attack in '10 that I should limit how much butter, cheese, bacon, etc. that I eat. I can't take the medication for cholesterol, so have to watch saturated fats, especially those from animals. I like all those things, but rarely eat them due to this.

 

[mattl]

Cholesterol can be a problem, wise to keep an eye on it.  My brother and I have the opposite problem, low cholesterol.  Mine is 115, his is 78, low can be problematic too.