St. Nicholas Cookies

1 c Dark brown sugar, packed

3 tb Milk

3 c All-purpose flour

1 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

1 1/2 ts Ground cloves

3/4 ts Ground nutmeg

3/4 ts Ground ginger

1/8 ts Baking powder

1/8 ts Salt

1 1/4 c Butter; cut up

1/2 c Slivered almonds; finely

-chopped Recipe by: Midwest Living, December 1994 In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and milk; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the brown sugar mixture and almonds; mix well to form a dough, using your hands. Form the dough into a ball, or if the dough is to be sliced, shape into two rolls 7-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Wrap in foil, plastic wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices. Or mold the cookies in decorative carved wooden molds. To mold cookies, brush the mold with flour so that every nook and cranny is well dusted. Press the dough into the mold to fill it completely; scrape off any excess dough. With the tip of a small knife, loosen the dough at the edge of a pattern. Turn the mold over onto an ungreased cookie sheet and tap to remove. Or roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick with a patterned rolling pin and cut around the cookies to separate. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks. Note: Recipe from the Queen`s Inn restaurant in Holland, Michigan. -----