Recipe(tried): Mint Surprise Cookies - From mint chips to my mom's mint cookies

Having been one of the most ardent "mint chip searchers," I find it odd that a couple weeks ago, I remembered a cookie my mom made when I was a kid -- over 30 years ago. She died 2 years ago, shortly before I delivered my "miracle baby," and I haven't found her recipe for this cookie yet, but I just found one that tastes like I remember it. If you try it (and I'm sure kids will love it, esp. when warm), DON'T drop the dough much bigger than the mint itself. You'll want to bite near or into the mint. And don't push the mint into the bottom half of the dough, or it will melt out the bottom while baking.

These are simple but worth it, but maybe it's part nostalgia for me. Not sure if we just had them at Christmas.

I hope this doesn't start another "mint search." It shouldn't. I remember my mom getting them out of a box, but I used the ones in a cellophane bag in the grocery store's "junk candy section." Actually, you can find them in any holiday baking display -- they're chocolate mints, NOT filled, about 3/4 of an inch across.

This one's for my mom . . .

MINT SURPRISE COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Chocolate mints* (for the middles)
Walnut (or pecan) halves (for the tops)

Combine all ingredients. Drop dough by scant teaspoons on baking sheet. Put candy in middle and place a walnut (or pecan) half on top.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 9-12 minutes.

*The mints are fairly flat, solid chocolate, about 3/4 of an inch across. I don't remember the name but the ones I bought came in a clear cellophane package with the paper at the top with hole punched in it for hanging -- like the packaging for cinnamon red hots and other bagged candy in grocery stores. I'm sure you'll recognize them when you see them. I've never tried peppermint patties in them, but sounds like it would be good -- you'd need to make a bigger cookie, obviously. Let me know if you try them either way. Hope you enjoy them.