Visiting

This week I met a lot of old friends and made some new ones. I met Kate and Dave for a late lunch on Thursday (we all agreed that we need to switch that to a Friday next month). Yesterday, the Lavelle's came to visit (our landlord family who we missed so much)! We carved pumpkins and gave the "grand" tour of our new place.

Bridget kept a watchful eye, I think she must have had many HGTV ideas running through her mind. She'll be on my list of people to call when we actually buy a new house, her design skills will come in handy.

Beth and Jayce carved an excellent Yoda jack-o-lantern(really Jayce just supervised, Beth did all the work). And Jason kept us entertained with some interesting YouTube music videos (I'm still not sure about that second Style Council video).

Then we went to a bonfire at Amy (a co-worker of my husband's) and Chuck's house. We met a lot of interesting and fun people, roasted some marshmallows, and watched an entire ladder burn in the bonfire!


Happy Halloween everybody!

Walnut Cake with Praline Frosting
from Cooking Light Magazine September 2008

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup 1% low-fat buttermilk
6 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted
Cooking spray

Frosting:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons 1% low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Dash of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

Oven 350

To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.



Place butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl; beat at medium-high speed with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in egg white. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.



Fold in walnuts. Scrape batter into a 13 x 9–inch pan coated with cooking spray.



Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.



To prepare frosting, place brown sugar, milk, butter, corn syrup, and dash of salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook 2 minutes.


Scrape brown sugar mixture into a bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons milk and powdered sugar; beat with a mixer at high speed 2 minutes or until slightly cooled and thick. Beat in vanilla.



Spread frosting in an even layer over cooled cake; sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Let the cake stand until the frosting sets (mine set very quickly); cut into squares.