Made these for DH and friends to eat while they were chopping multiple cords of firewood, and they were a big hit!! Later served them with vanilla ice cream for dessert, and they went over well that way too! (NOTE: I made w/out the nuts because I didn't have any, but everyone agreed that they'd be great with nuts.)

Chocolate Hazelnut Ginger Bites
From Monica Grinnell, Eat Your Heart Out catering, Portland, Oregon
Makes 3 dozen small cookies

3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling cookies (divided)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (1 six-ounce package)
1 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (see note)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix shortening, salt and sugar. When creamy, add egg, molasses, flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

Roll dough into balls about the size of a walnut. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cookies will flatten as they bake.

Note: To toast nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake in 375-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until brown. Or, spread shelled nuts in dry skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, about 10 minutes or until skins crack. Be careful not to burn. To remove skins, rub warm nuts with a rough cloth.