M & M Super Chocolate Nut Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pkg (1 pound) M&Ms plain chocolate
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans, macadamia nuts, other)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
Chop 1 1/2 cups of the M&Ms; save remainder for decoration. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream butter and sugars in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Add chopped candies and the nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for six minutes. Remove from oven; put three whole candies on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake 3-5 minutes, or until light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

Makes about 48 cookies... if you don't lick your fingers or the mixing bowl too often. Tested by Heidi.

Notes:
I didn't have a whole pound of M&Ms, so I added chocolate chunks and butterscotch chips. I was a bit wary of chopping the M&Ms, but found it to be helpful in making 1-tablespoon size cookies. The candy-filled treat reminds me of "Monster Cookies" served at Memorial Union at UW-Madison.