refinishing a countertop?

[and_suddenly]

in my apartment, we only have one kitchen counter, under our cabinets. the only problem is that it is basically unusable since it has been covered with several layers of contact paper, some of which are peeling up.

what's going to be the best way to deal with this? should i use wallpaper stripper on it? put more contact paper down? if there's wood underneath, what's going to be the best way to finish that for kitchen use? sanding it, staining it, and then sealing it with something?

sorry for the fact that i probably sound totally useless, i just want to make sure that it's durable/cleanable enough for kitchen use. i'm not going to be, say, cutting raw meat right on it or anything, but i want to make sure it's something i can wipe down with soapy water on occasion without worrying about water getting into tiny crevices or something.

thanks, domestic gods and goddesses!