The NCAA tournament starts this week, so to celebrate, I made chocolate cutouts decorated as basketballs. A year ago, we had no sports, so I am happy we have them to enjoy now! Those who know me, know my decorating skills are not good. These cookies are proof of that! Know that I tried my best!

Next time, I may try chocolate mini m&ms as the stripes!

• Cookie ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp chocolate extract (or vanilla)
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions – cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg and extract. Fols,in,dry ingredients. On a floured surface, roll out to desired thickness and cut with a round cookie cutter. I chilled the dough for a few hours so the cookies would not spread. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees for 20 minutes. On a cookie tin lined with nonstick baking liners, stagger cookies.

Bake 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

• Frosting ingredients
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1tbs heavy cream,or milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Red and yellow food coloring

Directions – cream butter and powdered sugar. Add milk and vanilla. Using directions for orange on food coloring box, add food coloring. Frost cookies.

• Chocolate icing ingredients and directions
• 4 tbs butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbs baking cocoa
• Milk
• Blend butter, powdered sugar and cocoa. Add enough milk, 1 tsp at a time to get the right consistency to pipe on stripes. (I cut off the end of a sandwich baggied and piped it, disastrously, as you can see). Store in covered container.