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Every year, my family celebrates St. Patrick's Day. Not in a huge all-out-bash sort of way; just a simple family gathering (even if it's just hubby and me and the kids) with traditional foods and fun spiked here and there with silly looking hats and green trinkets.

I don't have much choice in the matter. I am of Scots Irish descent and my husband is of primarily Irish descent. With the names of some of our children being Cassidy, Declan (a redhead to boot) and Kathleen Frances, it's hard to deny our lineage. My husband informed me early on in our marriage to "Forget all about that Scottish thing. Now that you married me, you're only Irish." OK, dear.

So, being "all Irish" and loving food, we won't ever see a March 17th pass without a bit of a fanfare.  I make the traditional corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew,  Irish soda bread and I tuck shortbread in there for me.

I try to make things more fun for the kids by adding green food coloring to different foods throughout the day; green grits or eggs and milk for breakfast, green veggies (peppers, celery, cucumbers) and green dip as part of their lunch and green iced cupcakes for dessert. The kids get a kick out of it and I love coming up with new things to tint.

The funny thing is, the only person who doesn't enjoy the traditional or fun food is my husband.