New Year'S Pretzel - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2/3 c. dry milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 c. lukewarm water
2 cakes yeast or equivalent in dry yeast
2 eggs
1/2 c. shortening
7 to 7 1/2 c. flour
margarine
powdered sugar, nuts, cherries, etc.

Preparation

Mix dry milk, sugar, salt and water.
Stir in mixing bowl. Stir in yeast until it dissolves.
Add eggs and shortening and stir in.
Add flour, cup by cup, beating in with mixer at high speed, until about half the flour is used.
Mix in remaining flour.
Knead until smooth.
Let rise until double.
Punch down and let rise again.
(If in haste, skip second rising).
Take half of dough and roll it to form a long strip and shape into a pretzel, twisting once at the center.
Repeat with remaining half. Bake about 20 minutes at 350\u00b0.
Remove from oven and brush with margarine.
Frost while still warm with thin powdered sugar and water frosting.
Sprinkle with chopped nuts or decorate with candied cherries, etc.