Although St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday in Ireland where families get together and often attend church followed by a special dinner, it is a raucous holiday in the US where there are rowdy parties, parades, and green food. There are even some cities that dye their rivers green for this holiday. No green food coloring is used in the food in Ireland – it has been said they don’t even particularly like the color green – but green mashed potatoes, green casseroles, and green breads seem to appear like magic around March 17th on dinner tables across the US.

Whether it’s what the Irish do or not, kids everywhere seem to love green food; Shamrock Bars look festive because they’re green, they’re quick and easy since they start with the versatile Basic Master Mix, and they actually taste good, since the bars are lime flavored and are topped with a tart lime glaze. Homemade Uncooked Buttercream Frosting can be used to frost these bars, or if time is short, a can of ready-made frosting will suffice. Shamrock sprinkles, which are available at most grocery and craft stores, complete the look.

The official Hancock tasters did not experience the “green teeth syndrome” from these bars, so, since it’s not a bank holiday in the US and almost everyone still has to work, they can safely be taken to the office to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

16 Bars

1 cup master baking mix
1 3 oz. package lime gelatin, such as Jell-O^®
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup vanilla frosting
Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350°.


2. Spray a 9 x 9" baking pan with non-stick spray.


3. Mix the master baking mix, gelatin, eggs, and butter until smooth.


4. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.


5. Bake 12-15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


6. Meanwhile, mix the lime juice and sugar in a microwaveable container.


7. Microwave to boiling, about 1 1/2-2 minutes; stir to dissolve the sugar.


8. After baking, poke holes in the bars with a fork; pour the lime syrup over all.


9. Let cool thoroughly.


10. When cool, frost with vanilla frosting and sprinkle with shamrock sprinkles.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 161 Calories from Fat 55
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 34% Protein 5% Carb. 61%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 39 mg
Sodium 147 mg
Total Carbohydrate 24 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 7 g
Protein 2 g

Vitamin A 3% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 0% Iron 1%