My First Post! Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bits of Bacon

This is my contribution to the chocolate with bacon fad. I recently drove across the country to live in San Francisco for a work assignment. After one looong evening of dancing in the eclectic Mission District, I came across a man wearing an apron with a table set-up selling some tidbits to eat! Right there on the street! He had some lentil soup and little chocolate snacks called 'bacon crack'! I had to try the bacon crack.. and wow! This really was the best chocolate snack I have ever tried! I never saw him again during the two months I was in SF. I was addicted after one try. I think I went through withdrawal. I even tried to order some bacon crack online and could not get a response. I imagine he is inundated with orders! http://noshthis.com/  
I made these cookies to satisfy my addiction. They were so good that I had to mail some out to friends. Otherwise, I would have eaten them all!

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

11 1/2 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used Ghirardelli)

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla (note: see next post on making your own vanilla Homemade Vanilla Extract)

2 1/4 cup unsifted flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Bacon Strips (3-4) - Cooked, chilled and chopped into small pieces with the fat trimmed off


Preparation: 

Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown 

sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix on low speed until incorporated. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (optional). Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Add a few pieces of bacon to each dough ball. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Timing may vary depending on oven.  

Note: Feel free to substitute chips for Milk Chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, etc.. 

Enjoy!