Happy Memorial Day weekend! Isn't this cake fun? The recipe below includes a crazy gelatin filling. But of course, the real pizazz is the decoration on top. You could skip the filling and just make a vanilla cake and frosting if you're pressed for time.

If there's ever a time to splurge on berries, this is it. (And hello, strawberry season is finally here.) This flag cake would make a dazzling finale to your Memorial Day cookout. And you know kids would love helping you make (and eat) it.

As summer approaches, so typically do a number of gatherings between family and friends. Memorial Day kicks things off, and then there are a whole host of parties and plans to look forward to -- many of which require a food contribution from you.

One of my favorite dishes to bring is this hearty appetizer from Live Pretty -- Artichoke and Crab Dip. It's rich and satisfying, but it also gets a summery twist with a pretty and delicious topping of fresh tomatoes and basil. Served with tortilla chips, it's always a hit, and it might even be all you need for a main course some nights.

There are some foods that just scream summer, and popsicles are at the top of that list. Cool, fruity, sticky, and sweet, they convey the innocence of childhood on one hand, and all of the sexiness of hot summer nights on the other, depending on whose hands are holding which varieties.

While you could buy a boring old box at the store, making your own is so much more fun. From booze-infused versions for adults to healthy ones that get your kids to eat extra fruit in a fun way, there are plenty of varieties to keep your whole family cool all summer long. Here are eight incredible homemade popsicle recipes to try.

Every year, I try to make the Girl Scout cookies last as long as I can. And every year I fail. Thin Mints, you are my love, my life, and my downfall. Which is why this mint chocolate pie caught my interest.

Stuffed with all the chocolate minty goodness that makes my favorite cookie so impossible to resist, some people call it a Grasshopper pie. I just call it irre-friggin-sistible. I think the real seller is the mint, which cools your mouth and cuts the chocolate just enough that you can almost pretend you're not eating something so sweet it's bad for you ... almost.

There are cakes, and then there are cakes that you just can't forget because they're so ridiculously good. If you like the combination of mint and chocolate, this chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip frosting is one of the latter.

From Shugary Sweets, it's as delicious as it is impressive. Just look at the picture, how could it not be? The cake by itself is rich, moist, and amazing, but then you add the creamy, buttery icing with dark chocolate chunks and a hint of mint, and it's all over ... almost. Then you add an amazing chocolate ganache, and there's no turning back. It's great for special occasions like birthdays, or anytime you need a fix of something fantastically delicious.

Obviously this needed to happen. Someone had to invent Banana Split Cupcakes. Here's what's going on with these babies. You're mixing mashed bananas, maraschino cherries, and chocolate chips into yellow cake batter and baking that. Then you're combining marshmallow creme (you know, fluff) with vanilla frosting. And a cherry on top. Ta-da!

These would be awesome for a birthday party, but you could also make them just for no reason this weekend. Fluffy, banana-cherry yum.

Here's an appetizer that will satisfy the heartiest of appetites -- bacon cheeseburger puffs. They have all of the taste of a bacon cheeseburger, but in neat, little, bite-sized balls.

This recipe from Plain Chicken is incredibly easy, and they take no time to whip up. You can also make them ahead of time and freeze them if you like, then just take them out and heat them whenever you need them. They're so satisfying that they can even be served as a lunch or dinner.

As temperatures continue to climb, I find myself dreading my oven more and more. I know that as we move into summer I'll find every excuse I can to abandon it all together. Of course, that doesn't mean I still don't need my cookies, and that's where the no-bake version comes in so handy.

I've made plenty of batches of no-bake cookies over the years, but this recipe from Shugary Sweets that incorporates Nutella are my favorite by far. The creamy hazelnut spread just gives them a little something extra that makes them so good you'll need to make extra.