M & M's Cookies

On this beautiful, 68-degree, perfectly-breezy day, I spent six hours inside watching basketball and related basketball commentary. On any other weekend (except the next three), this would be considered a waste. But not during March Madness. Not during the ACC Tournament. Not when my beloved Blue Devils managed to beat up on a team that beat them two weeks ago. And not when the outcome of today's games could create a replay of the biggest rivalry in college hoops for tomorrow's championship game.

I also do not consider this perfect day a waste because I whipped out a delicious batch of these cookies to further show my support for my team. I was thrilled when Mars added the blue M & M for obvious reasons and pay homage to that color here. Go ahead, chalk up an exorbitant amount of money for a lot of appropriately-colored-chocolate-coated candies so you can show your allegiance to your team too.

And let's hope this time tomorrow, as I watch Selection Sunday, Duke is the #1 seed in Charlotte and the Heels are somewhere far, far away . . . (Either way, please disregard the cookie crumbs on my bracket.)

M & M's Cookies

Adapted from A Patchwork of Recipes: Beth Eden Lutheran Church Cookbook (the Burgundy one)

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups Duke blue M & M's (or an appropriate color of your choice)

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

Mix shortening and plain sugar. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Mix the sifted mixture and the brown sugar into the liquids. Mix well. Stir in M & M's. Using a teaspoon, drop them onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. (Mine actually took about nine minutes.) Cool on rack before removing from the sheet.