HELOISE: Cleaning a wooden cutting board

Dear Heloise: How can I deodorize/sanitize my wooden cutting board? It reeks of onions. Do I just toss it?

A Reader, via e-mail

Hot, soapy water is your best friend when cleaning cutting boards. Wash each time you use it, rinse, air-dry and finish drying with paper toweling, since dish towels may have some germs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to sanitize, use 1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach in a gallon of water. Carefully pour the mixture over the board and let it sit for several minutes. Rinse and dry with paper towels if you need to.

An eco-friendly way to remove odors and clean one, especially wood? Sprinkle with plain old salt and rub with half a lemon, lime, grapefruit or orange. Wash with hot, soapy water, rinse and dry.

Here’s a hint from the USDA: “All plastic and wooden cutting boards wear out over time. Once cutting boards become excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves, they should be discarded.”

Heloise

P.S.: If you have any questions, the USDA can be reached toll-free at 888-674-6854. Representatives are available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time.

Dear Heloise: Can applesauce be used instead of cooking oil in baking cakes?

Nella Dean Osborne, via e-mail

Yes! Applesauce is a great substitute for oil, and it is a 1:1 ratio, meaning you can substitute 1 cup of applesauce for 1 cup of oil. It’s best to start off by substituting half of the oil in a recipe with applesauce first. Applesauce will make the cake sweeter and softer than oil typically does. If you like the way the cake tastes, then next time, try upping the amount a little. Some cake-mix boxes even have suggestions for low-fat and no-cholesterol alternatives. Applesauce is not going to be as good in cookies unless you like cookies to have a cakelike consistency. Happy baking!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I read your response about the difference in chocolate cake mixes and was reminded about a brownie recipe. Thoroughly mix one box of brownie mix and a 15-ounce can of pumpkin (Nothing else! — Heloise). Bake according to package directions. I add a cup of chopped pecans, walnuts or mixed nuts, and for special occasions, I add some chopped fresh cherries.

Carl Reicherzer in San Antonio

We tested this, and all love it! It was fudgelike, with no pumpkin taste!

Heloise

Dear Heloise: At this time of the year, a lot of recipes call for bread crumbs. If you have bread that gets too old to eat, place it on a cookie sheet and bake to a toasty brown. Then run the bread through a food processor. You can add garlic or other seasonings, or just use it plain. They will last up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Velma Fuller in Kilbourne, La.

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

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