Another construction update

We're oh so agonizingly close but things keep happening.  I swear, construction may be the worst kind of torture.  We had our cement flooring laid over our in floor heat almost a month ago.  Carpet was lined up to be installed four days later.  They came, but the cement flooring was not dry enough.  So carpet installation was pushed back a week.  A week passed and the concrete floor was still too wet.  Another week later, carpet came - it was still too wet.  Seriously - torture.

The siding (which was supposed to start last December) has been agonizing as well. They finally started (3 weeks after their 2nd supposed start date in January).  They were supposed to finish by last Saturday (over a week ago).  Then they'd for sure finish by this weekend.  Now they say they're going to finish tomorrow (Monday).  I wouldn't care as much about when they finished as they are not holding us back from moving into our addition, however, the dumpster that has been sitting here since the fall will leave as soon as they are done.  And their trailor with all their supplies is parked on the other half of the driveway; meaning that we can not park our cars in our garage or even in our driveway - which makes it hard when it snows and the city will tow us if we are on the street.  And it has snowed 10 inches in the last three days. 

But I still gave the siding crew cookies (they were actually leftover from my work holiday party).

The addition and our siding

#331 Peanut Butter Maple Cookies
The crew loved these; we put out a plate and they were gone within an hour.  We put out another plate and those got eaten quickly as well.

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbs maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 pkg (10 oz) peanut butter chips

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in syrup and vanilla.  Add the flour, oats, baking powder and salt and mix well.  Stir in chips.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

Makes about 5 dozen
 

Legos!  Legos, Legos and more legos.  This actually has nothing to do with the 3 batches that I have made this month so far, but it is the current obsession in this household.  And maybe I would have made more cookies this month so far if we weren't so busy building Legos. 

Legos are seriously the best toy.  I feel like no other toy is geared as equally to both boys and girls, are great "STEM" toys and after 60 years, is still the basic toy that it once was.  Although as I was building with my now 5 year old boy, Legos do look a bit different than they did when I was little.  Pretty much every piece would fall into my classification of "special pieces". 

My mom has thousands of Legos (that mostly my brother and I collected throughout her childhood).  I convinced her that she should let us divvy them up; as she likes having Legos but generally doesn't let the grandkids play with them because we have SOOOO many and they make a huge mess.  So for the last 3 or 4 weeks, every chance I can get over there and build my sets to bring them home, I do.  But with 3 kids (and one being a crawling infant that puts everything in her mouth); this project may take a while.

What set off the obsession?  A Lego birthday party for my now 5 year old boy.

 So what does this have to do with cookies?  Nothing really.  Except normally I would make cookies to go in the goodie bags.  This year however I bought Lego molds and made Lego crayons and Lego gummies.  And the kids got to make their own racecars and bring those home.

So nothing to do with LEGOS, but Batch number 328:

Almond Pie Bars:

Another cookie for work. Pretty much as described.  Like almond pie but as a bar.  

#329 Mocha Cookie Pretzels
These were fun to make.  It looks like a pretzel, but is a chocolate, coffee cookie.

And 330 Cherry Shortbread Hearts
For Valentines Day.  We didn't have "enough" with the dozen doughnuts I ran out and got in the morning and the candy I requested my husband to go buy the day after.

The Almond Pie bars were probably the best recipe out of this bunch.  So here's the recipe:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter, cubed
FILLING:
2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped almonds
2 tbs flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the crust, combine flour and powdered sugar.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Press into greased 13 in. x 9 in. baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sugar, almonds, and flour; stir in remaining filling ingredients.

Pour over crust.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Store in refrigerator.