Buttery Popcorn Ice Cream with Homemade Cracker Jack

Whether you are a kid, or just a kid at heart, sometimes there is no better way to end a summer meal then with a big bowl of rich, creamy ice cream. If you've planned ahead, nothing pleases a crowd like homemade, but if you're strapped for time, dress up store bought ice cream with an array of unusual toppings. I can guarantee you won't hear a single complaint.

Q: I am making the Overnight Buttery Streusel Coffee Cake for a brunch I'm having on Sunday. The recipe recommends using Kerrygold Butter, but I'm wondering what other brands people like to use for baking?

Sent by Elle

Q: We had an unopened bottle of extra-light olive oil in a cool dark place. When we went to use it, we noticed many small white beads clinging to the inside of the bottle. Does this mean the oil had gone bad or is this just fat deposits from sitting so long? There is no expiration date on bottle.

Sent by Kathy

What do you use to store your oil and vinegar? One reader sent us this really pretty setup he created for almost nothing out of Perrier bottles, which turn out to be rather good-looking, once you peel off the labels. Here's his rationale... 

Let's be honest with ourselves: half of the reason we eat salads is for the dressing. Whether it's a tart balsamic vinaigrette or a creamy blue cheese dressing, we love the way that dressing wraps around every bite. This new book by Michele Anna Jordan is a boon to us salad-lovers. Here are over sixty recipes to shake up your salad routine and ensure that you'll never buy dressing again.

Q: I want to start using coconut oil in some gluten-free baking but cannot find specific instructions. Can you confirm that when a recipe calls for 1/4 cup coconut oil, it means melted to liquid form? Also, is there a good method for liquefying the coconut oil?

Sent by Kara

Q: I am having a dinner party for a friend this weekend who has requested an olive oil cake, but who cannot have lemon or orange juice. Is there a way to make this recipe without citrus? What is the purpose of citrus in an olive oil cake recipe?

Sent by Janelle

When cooking at high heat — stir frying, pan searing, deep frying — it's important to use a fat with a high smoke point, and ideally with a clean, neutral taste that lets the flavor of your food shine. Enter rice bran oil. More

Q: My husband received a bottle of fancy citrus habanero olive oil as a gift. It is incredibly spicy, far too spicy to use as a finishing oil or vinaigrette, and we don't want to just dump it into chili or something. How can we take advantage of the flavours in the oil without burning our mouths?