A Beautiful Shlissel Challah by Mandy D.
Just what is shlissel challah?
For the first Shabbat after Passover, it's common in some circles to bake a challah either in the shape of a key or with an actual key baked inside -- shissel being Yiddish for "key." The custom is considered a good omen for livelihood, or parnassa!
I've got a whole article on it over on About.com's Judaism page. Check out the origins, possible ties to Christianity, and recipes, too.