Decadent Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

It's Teacher Appreciation Week for those who didn't already know.  We've got 3 kids in Elementary School right now (although this is the last year that will happen...Kyla heads to Middle School next year and by the time Rhett is in Kindergarten Caleb will be in Middle School as well...crazy to think about that!!) and I've got a husband who is an Elementary School teacher (2nd grade...for 9 years!!), so I feel I've got a pretty good idea how hard teachers work & that they need and deserve some appreciation!! 

When Tony chose teaching as his occupation I didn't realize how much work it really would be...I was just exctied to have him through the summers and during holidays (which is a HUGE perk...although all but his first year of teaching he's held some kind of summer job!!) 

Since he's been working 9 years as a teacher now I think I understand better than most mom's how much work & dedication teachers put into their jobs!  If I can brag about my hubby for a moment...He's up around 6:00 every morning (and he lets me sleep-in until 7:15!!), is to the school by 7:30 at the latest, home by 5:00 at the earliest...it's usually 5:30 or 6:00 before he's home.  Not to mention the many hours a week during the evenings and weekends that he's correcting homework or doing lesson plans.  He comes home with such fun stories to tell (and some quite disturbing ones as well!!) & I've heard numerous times how he would love to adopt this student and that student.  If he got to keep all the students he's wanted to over the years we'd be bursting at the seams at our home!!

And I know he's not the only teacher like that...our children have now and have had in the past some amazing teachers who spend so much time teaching our children!  In my opinion they more than deserve those summer months off!!  (although as I said, my hubby works a summer job, as do many teachers...as well as spend time in their classroom getting things ready for the next year!)

I'm so appreciative for the teachers that we have & for a wonderful husband who loves being a teacher and is SOOOO good at it! (I know I'm biased but I think he's spectacular!!) 

So with that, for teacher appreciation week we decided to make some cookies to take to their teachers.  I know it's small but I also know (from Tony) that it's not the gift or treat that teachers appreciate but the knowing that they are appreciated and that parents are grateful for all they do!  So that's what we were trying to accomplish here!

So we made some wonderful adult cookies for them!:) 

Decadent Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies

PRINT RECIPE

We just used Chad's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe & changed the add-ins!  PERFECT!!

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter or margarine (I used margarine)

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour (I ended up using 3 cups)

1 3/4 (10 oz. bag) Dark Chocolate Morsels

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream shortening & butter together until mixed well.  Add the sugars and baking soda and mix until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and incorporate well.  Add the flour and mix until you have a slightly sticky dough (I used 3 cups again!).  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix until incorporated. 

Drop using a 2 Tablespoon scoop onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Let sit on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

We put them in a bag and tied the little note to the bag with some curling ribbon!

I absolutely LOVED the walnut and dark chocolate in these...perfection!!  But any cookie would do...Here's all of our cookies...they are all fabulous!