HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I never know how long fruit will keep at room temperature. I like having a bowl of fresh fruit sitting out, but some of it goes bad before we can eat it. Any suggestions?

— Ruth S., Minnesota DEAR READER: The U.S. Department of Agriculture says to ripen fruit at room temperature, then store it in the refrigerator for the following times: Apples: 1 month. Apricots, bananas, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums and watermelon: three to five days.

Berries and cherries: two to three days.

Cranberries and melons (except watermelons): one week.

DEAR HELOISE: Back in June, I saw your answer to a letter about which butter to use in recipes. I never buy unsalted butter. Many recipes call for it. Can I use regular butter instead of unsalted butter? Will the flavor change? — A Fan, Levelland, Texas DEAR READER: If you’re baking something simple such as cookies, there might be very little taste or texture difference, although the unsalted butter may produce crisper cookies. While it’s always advisable to follow the instructions for a recipe, in a pinch you might have to substitute one for the other.

Did you know that you can substitute up to ½ cup of oil with applesauce in a recipe for a healthier alternative? If the recipe calls for 1 cup of oil, substitute up to ½ cup of applesauce.

DEAR HELOISE: My problem is with pie crust. When I prepare one and poke holes in the crust with a fork, bake it and then pour my hot pie filling in and chill it for several hours, the pie crust is always soggy where the filling has run through. What am I doing wrong?

— Joann M., Maryland DEAR READER: If you’re putting hot filling into your pie, you might wait until it has cooled to room temperature. Also, before you add your filling, you might want to try brushing your baked pie crust with an egg white wash. Beat one white with a tablespoon of water, apply to the crust, then bake for another five to 10 minutes. This seals the crust. Another step could be to use more thickeners in your filling. Just a little additional cornstarch or flour can help to keep it from soaking into the crust.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email