Cookies with Dates and Almonds

Ingredients
4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of toasted almonds chopped to small pieces
375 grams of dates without the pits cut into very small pieces
1 cup of shortening (butter or a substitute will work, I used Crisco shortening)
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
¾ of hot water (tap water is fine)
Little milk

Method…
In a large bowl
Mix the flour, baking soda and baking power.
Add the dates and with your hands, use the flour mixture to separate the dates. I used a mixer and the dates did not separate well. I recommend you use your hands.
Add the chopped almonds
Add the shortening and mix well. You can use a mixer at this point.

In another bowl…
Beat the 3 eggs
Add the sugar
Add the vanilla extract
Add the hot water

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add a little milk. Place the dough in small bite size portions on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F or 180 C for 15 minutes or until nice golden brown. Let cool and enjoy. If you store the cookies in a container they will remain soft. If you don’t they will become hard and crunchy. Either way, they are tasty.