2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz. M&M's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Candies
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Cream together butter or shortening and sugars until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. Blend in flour mixture slowly. Stir in M&M's and nuts. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-11 minutes until browned. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; place on wire cooling racks. Makes about 5 dozen 2-inch cookies.