How To Quickly 'Double' Your Butter Without Purchasing More

All hope is not lost if your butter tray is close to empty. Whether you have guests coming over for dinner or are staunchly guarding your wallet until your next paycheck, it is possible to stretch out the last remains of your precious culinary possession with a bit of frugal ingenuity. 

Take out your blender and whip the butter that you do have left with equal parts warm water. The buttery concoction will gradually turn into a creamy, frothy spread which can then be poured into containers and be kept in your fridge for later use. Use an ice cube tray if you would like additional help measuring out serving sizes with precision and keeping butter reserved for special dishes. Your thinned-out, makeshift butter can be easily used to flavor pasta, spread onto toast, or slather on top of morning pancakes, and it will take a keen palate to detect any difference.

Thrifty families used this culinary hack during periods of wartime rationing. Though the watered-down butter isn't ideal for baking, the resulting spread can be used just like butter in any other recipe, from making decadent sauces or preparing a filet of fish to cook on the stove. 

If you'd like a more oily, margarine-like consistency, you can employ a similar technique by blending your remaining butter with olive oil. The result will be a shinier, more spreadable butter, and your frugal concoction can be used on bread, pasta, and vegetables for a delicious result. If you are using the ice-cube tray storage hack, consider adding leftover herbs to each compartment for both an elevated presentation and an extra boost of flavor. Both your bank account and your palate will thank you, and your guests will only compliment your cooking unless you decide to reveal the more prudent steps you take inside the confines of your kitchen.