The small moments that we experience–like knowing you’ve been invited to another home for dinner and the anticipation of looking forward to it–is where true happiness is found.
People are naturally drawn to spending time with others. It makes us feel engaged and reminds us that we hold a vital place in this world.
If you walk away with anything meaningful from my blog, I hope you are encouraged to try new ways of showing hospitality, of reaching out, of getting out of a rut and changing things up.
Maybe that means inviting new friends into your home.
Or, old friends.
This past weekend we invited my 2 childhood friends and their husbands over for dinner. (I know I’m dating myself here, but these friendships go back 35-40 years!)
It’s really beautiful to reconnect with old friends. There’s so much to talk about.
The history that you have with one another can also make for a very long evening. 
And right now is the perfect time for entertaining in our valley.
Our yard and flowers are stunning.
The garden is fully planted.
The air is still cool, yet the warm sun permeates our entertaining space.
We ended the evening with jackets and the outside heater turned on, but we still managed to huddle around the warmth of the table–the people, the conversation, the history, the sharing of our families.
From our garden, my husband brought in rosemary and mint for me to use in our meal. I’ll share later what I did with the mint, but the rosemary went into the shortcake.
Yes, delicious warm, sweet and savory shortcake with fresh strawberries (with honey), and real whipped cream.
I love ending an entertaining moment with good food, and it always tastes better when you’re with good company and you’re serving something from your garden!
When’s the last time you entertained childhood friends?
Recipe: Rosemary Strawberry Shortcake {ReluctantEntertainer.com}
Summary: A spin on shortcake with fresh rosemary from your herb garden. that your guests will love!
Ingredients
- 2 quarts strawberries, rinsed and sliced (about 6 cups)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- in a large bowl, combine strawberries and honey. Set aside.
- In food processor combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, chopped rosemary, baking powder and salt. Pulse for a few seconds. Add in the small cubes of butter. Pulse some more.
- Slowly add in 1 3/4 cups of the cream while pulsing, while dough comes together to form a ball.
- Turn out the dough on lightly floured surface. Quickly knead and roll (our push with your fingers) into a 9×13″ rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick.
- Transfer the dough to the parchment paper. With a sharp knife score the top of the crust. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of remaining sugar.
- Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Whip the 1 1/4 cups remaining whipped cream rather stiffly, adding in 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla.
- Cut the shortcake into squares, and in half, filling the middle with strawberries, then whipped cream. On top, put another dab of whipped cream. Serve.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
Hi, I'm Sandy. Five years ago I stocked up on beautiful glasses from the Dollar Store. As I started writing about dinner parties, I realized that this "icon" portrays a great message. 
I want to share with you some of my favorite places to visit in blog-land, sites that I learn from and am inspired by, and some beautiful friends that I’ve met over the years.
Sandy, shortcakes are my favorite!! We eat them a little too often this time of year!
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Love your idea to bake one big biscuit rather than cutting individual rounds. And I love your message about connecting with others and opening up your home. I’m inspired!
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My Supper Club would love this! And we will celebrate our 27th year together this year. Three of us have known each other through kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school and college. And all of us went to the same high school. Pretty crazy when I think about it!
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Ooh! I’m so excited to try this as my friend just gave me a rosemary plant! Thanks!
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Twitter: missnthekitchen
says:
Rosemary & strawberry is a new combination for me, I can’t wait to try it!
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This sounds REALLY good. Just checking, how much of the cream do you actually put in the crust part? Love your ideas!
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Twitter: unsophisticook
says:
We make shortcakes frequently in the summer too. Must try the rosemary combination — sounds delicious!
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Unfortunately I haven’t seen any of my childhood friends in a very long time. However I did just have a visit from a neighbor who moved away a couple of years ago. It’s fun sharing memories and catching up.
I have a rosemary plant and I’m always looking for new ways to use it. Thanks for the recipe.
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Wow, that looks like so much fun! And the recipe is amazing!
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I am SO trying this out! YUM.
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Good site you have here.. It’s difficult to find high quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
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