Frozen 7-Layer Banana Split Pie { & $100 'Amazon.com Cash for Ice Cream' Giveaway!}

Summertime.  Ice cream.  Yep, they pretty much go hand-in-hand for me.  For you, too? ... Well, then you're in luck!  

Because not only am I bringing you this amazingly delicious Frozen 7-Layer Banana Split Pie today, I'm also bringing you an opportunity to win a $100 Amazon.com gift card to buy an ice cream maker! {... or anything else you've had your eye on from Amazon.com, for that matter.} 

Dad's 21 Favorite Picks ... in Honor of Father's Day {Playground Round-Up}

It's almost Father's Day!  Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there!

Back on Mother's Day I posted Mom's 16 Sweet Treat Favorites ... so in honor of Father's Day, I decided to give Dad his equal time!  Here are my Dad's favorite dishes on The Kitchen is My Playground.  Now Mom shared 16 ... and Dad's sharing 21.  So, I guess 'the time' is not exactly equal since Dad's getting to share a few more faves.  But oh well, I don't think Mom will mind.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

It's officially summer for me!  I finished up in my classroom today, and am now footloose-and-fancy-free for the summer.  Yay!  I don't have all my summer adventures figured out yet ... but I'll get 'em figured out soon, I'm sure.  And I'm sure some of those adventures will include a cookout or two!  Oh, I'm sure you're thinking hot dogs ... or hamburgers ... or a nice juicy steak.  But when I think summer cookout, I think pasta salad.  Yes, pasta salad.  I'm all about the sides!  And this no-mayo Antipasto Pasta Salad is one of our cookout absolute favorites.

Oh Henry! Bars ~ Gooey Fudgey Peanut-y Goodness

Do you like chocolate?  How 'bout peanut butter?  How 'bout ooey-gooey yumminess??  Then I have got the bars for you! ... these classic Oh Henry! Bars.  Right.  Up.  Your.  Alley.

Fresh Strawberry Sangria

Thanks to the nice folks at Staples, the other day was like Christmas in May for me ... and the wine to make this fabulous Fresh Strawberry Sangria was at just the perfect temperature!  What??  You're probably thinking, "What does Staples the office supply store have to do with the temperature of your wine?" ... right?

How Baking Can Be Summer Reading, Writing, & Math Practice!

I'll say good-bye to my this year's group of little 1st graders this coming week.  {Sniff, sniff.}  Have you got kids or grand-kids out of school for the summer?  If your child's teacher is at all like me, she or he probably said something about keeping your child reading, writing, and doing a little math over the summer, right?  {And if she or he didn't ... consider this to be me saying it for them now!}

Well, did you know you can keep your child practicing reading, writing, and math through simply baking and cooking with them?  That's right! ...