Preliminaries: Lightly grease one cookie sheet (spray oil works well for this). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Blend flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until dough is formed. Stir in cherries and almonds.

2. Turn the dough out on lightly floured surface and knead several times. Using the greased cookie sheet as a surface, divide the dough in half and form into two flat logs about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Let cool directly on the baking sheet resting on a rack for 10 minutes.

4. Lower heat to 325 degrees. On a cutting board, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Put back into oven for 5 minutes. Turn over and bake 5 more minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on baking rack.

5. Store in airtight container.

gram saturated fat, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 84 milligrams sodium, 28 percent calories from fat