Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen. Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and soda. Set aside. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Use cherry halves, if desired -- cookie will look less lumpy. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients and beat till combined (mixture will be stiff and form a ball). With a wooden spoon, mix in nuts. Shape dough in 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of each ball with thumb. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat till chocolate is melted. Make sure chocolate doesn't scorch, you may want to use a double-boiler instead. Stir in 4 - 6 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. When assembling cookie, frosting acts like glue to hold cherry. Either place cherry in cookie's indentation and spread 1 teaspoon frosting over cherry, making sure cherry is covered; or place a teaspoon of frosting in indentation and place cherry on top of frosting. If frosting seems to thick, thin with some cherry juice. Bake at 350 F about 10 minutes or till edges are firm. Remove and cool completely on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.