This holiday honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and is celebrated by Americans of Irish descent and many other nationalities with parades, dinners, Irish jigs, and songs. There are more people of Irish descent in the United States than there are in Ireland.

St. Patrick’s Day has always been a fun holiday. But it was in the kitchen and at the meals that I had the most fun. Here is an idea that you can do with the kids that will create a special memory.

Shamrock Loaf of Bread

2 packages active dry yeast

1-1/4 cups warm water (105 to 115F)

Green food coloring

1 cup warm water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons shortening

6 to 6-1/2 cups flour

Butter, softened

2 (1″ x 14″) strips of brown paper or parchment baking paper, well buttered (do not use recycled grocery bags)

Florist Pins, straight pins, or T-pins

1″ wide green ribbon

Dissolve yeast in 1-1/4 cups warm water. Add green food coloring to the liquid (It will lighten as other ingredients are added).   Stir in the remaining 1 cups of water, sugar, salt, shortening and 3-1/2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minute. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 hour. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch down dough and divide into halves. Let rest 10 minutes. Shape each half inot a smooth, round ball. Brush lightly with butter.

To make depressions for the ribbon, tie each loaf with 1″ wide heavy brown paper strips, creating four quarters. Fasten with pin. Place each loaf on a 12′ x 18′ greased baking sheet or a 12″-14″ pizza pan.

Let rise until double, about 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 F. Bake loaves on center rack 35 to 40 minutes until golden. Immediately remove from pans. Brush tops with butter; cool on wire racks.   After bread has cooled, remove paper strips and replace with green ribbon and a bow.