Iowa City may not have a river to dye green for St. Patrick’s day, but you can celebrate in other ways. These easy recipes are a way to get in the spirit for the holiday and enjoy some sugary treats.

Leprechaun hats:

Ingredients:

1. Chocolate almond bark
2. Large marshmallows
3. Round fudge stripe cookies
4. Green cookie-decorating gel

Steps:

1. Melt six blocks of almond bark in a small bowl for one minute, or until completely melted.
2. Coat cookies with the melted chocolate and lay them on parchment paper to dry. *Fill the center of the cookie with chocolate so that there is no opening*
3. Completely coat the marshmallow with chocolate and let dry.
4. Once the marshmallows and cookies are dry, use a small amount of the leftover melted almond bark and attach the marshmallow to the center of the cookie.
5. Use the green decorating gel to paint a green rim around the bottom of the marshmallow.
6. Makes 8-10 hats.

Shamrock pretzels:

Ingredients:

1. White almond bark
2. Green food coloring
3. Small pretzels

Steps:

1. Melt four blocks of almond bark in a small bowl for one minute, or until completely melted.
2. Add six to eight drops of green food coloring and stir until the melted almond bark is no longer white.
3. Completely coat the pretzels in the green chocolate and set aside on parchment paper to dry.
4. After pretzels dry, take three pretzels and arrange them with the bottom of the pretzels facing inward to each other.
5. Fill the open center of the pretzel ring with the leftover chocolate and let dry.
6. Makes 4-5 shamrocks.