Crispy Smashed Potatoes (A Mark-Approved Favorite!)

My husband Mark LOVES potatoes, and he’s tried them just about every way imaginable. These, though? He raved about them and declared them absolutely amazing. 🙌

The best part? They’re incredibly easy. The only “hard” part is allowing enough time for them to bake and get perfectly crispy—but trust me, they’re worth the wait.

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Ingredients

• Potatoes – russet or red/new potatoes

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 Tbsp butter

• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated cheese

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Instructions

I cook my potatoes in the Instant Pot, but you can also cook them on the stove or even in the microwave. If you boil them on the stove, be sure to remove as much moisture as possible and allow them to dry well. This is why the Instant Pot or microwave is quicker and easier.

Instant Pot method:
Cover the bottom of the Instant Pot with water, add the trivet, then add the potatoes.

• Russet potatoes: cook on High for 8 minutes, or until tender

• Red/new potatoes: cook on High for 4 minutes, or until tender

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Put the olive oil and butter in a microwave-safe dish and melt (about 20 seconds max). Stir in the pressed garlic and set aside.

3. After cooking, place the cooked potatoes on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. “Smoosh” them using the bottom of a glass.

   • Thinner potatoes = crispier

   • Thicker potatoes = moister and chewier

   You really can’t go wrong either way, and I usually end up with a mix of both—which is delicious!

4. Drizzle the olive oil/butter/garlic mixture over the potatoes.

5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until crisp, checking at the halfway mark.

6. Sprinkle liberally with cheese and return to the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.

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These potatoes are simple, comforting, and always a hit—especially with potato lovers like Mark. 💛

🍹✨Refreshing Ginger Beer Mocktail (Low-Sugar & Wellness-Inspired)

I recently attended a mocktail mixology class, and it was such a fun experience! 🎉 It inspired me to start creating more healthy mocktail recipes, so you’ll definitely be seeing more of these here.

This ginger beer mocktail is light, refreshing, and perfect for sipping—especially if you’re cutting back on alcohol or looking for low-sugar drink options. I used diet ginger beer to avoid added sugar, but I’m currently experimenting with more natural alternatives, like using fresh ginger root 🌱. My goal is to keep ingredients simple, clean, and supportive of overall wellness.

This mocktail was a total win for me—refreshing, flavorful, and satisfying without the sugar overload 😋. If you enjoy non-alcoholic drinks, mocktails for health, or simple wellness recipes, let me know! I’d also love to hear about any favorite mocktail recipes you have 💬💛

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🍊 Ginger Beer Mocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

🧊 Ice
🥤 Diet ginger beer (I prefer a mild ginger flavor, so I fill the glass about ¼ full)
💦 Club soda or seltzer water (to top off)
🍊 One fresh orange slice, squeezed into the drink and then added

🔥 Optional: Flame the orange slice before adding—it enhances the citrus oils and deepens the flavor beautifully!

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🌿 Health Notes & Wellness Benefits

✨ Ginger is well known for its digestive-supporting and anti-inflammatory properties. Even in small amounts, it can help soothe the stomach and add warmth to a drink without added sugar.

✨ Orange provides a natural source of vitamin C and antioxidants, supporting immune health while adding a bright, fresh flavor.

✨ Choosing mocktails over alcoholic drinks can help support hydration, liver health, and overall wellness—especially if you’re focused on healing or maintaining balance.

✨ Using low-sugar or naturally flavored drinks can help reduce blood sugar spikes and inflammation, which is especially important for long-term health.

Sunday Chat: Get Closer To God

 

• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

Galatians 5:22 

You will receive power 

when the Holy Spirit comes on you

Acts 1:8

Those who live according to the flesh 

have their minds set on what the flesh desires; 

but those who live in accordance with the Spirit 

have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

The mind governed by the flesh is death, 

but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 8:5-6

So if you sinful people know how to 

give good gifts to your children, 

how much more will your heavenly Father 

give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him 

Luke 11:13 

 

Yet you don’t have what you want 

because you don’t ask God for it.

James 4:2

Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 

But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, 

because if I don’t, the 

Advocate/Comforter won’t come. 

If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 

And when he comes, 

he will convict the world of its sin, 

and of God’s righteousness, 

and of the coming judgment.

John 16:6-8

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, 

whom the Father will send in my name, 

will teach you all things and 

will remind you of everything I have said to you. 

john 14:26 

 

And I will ask the Father, 

and he will give you another comforter 

to help you and be with you forever 

John 14:16 

In the beginning the Word already existed. 

The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:1

Easy Lobster Tails at Home 🦞 (Restaurant Quality Without the Price)

 

Lobster tails may sound like something you only order at a restaurant, but they’re surprisingly easy to make at home 🦞✨ When you can find them on sale for around $5 a tail, they become the perfect centerpiece for a special dinner without the high price tag. Paired with steak 🥩 and a twice-baked potato 🥔🧀, this meal feels indulgent, comforting, and impressive—without being complicated. If you’re looking for a simple way to make an ordinary evening feel a little more special, these lobster tails are a great place to start 🍽️💛

Ingredients

8 oz lobster tail, 2 tails

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika

Steps

Using a clean pair of scissors or kitchen shears, cut along the middle of the top of the shell towards the fins of the tail, making sure to cut in a straight line. Do not cut through the end of the tail.
Using a spoon, separate the meat from the two sides of the shell, then lift the meat up and out from inside the shell.
Press the two sides of the shell together, then lay the meat over the seam where the two shells meet.
If you are having difficulty opening the shell up to lift out the meat, flip the tail over and make cuts along the carapace where the legs meet the bottom part tail. This will help break the rigid structure of the shell and allow it to be more flexible.
While cutting through the shell, you may have also cut into the meat, which is perfectly okay. Make a shallow cut through the middle of the lobster meat so that you can peel down the thin layer of meat over the sides. This gives the lobster tail its signature look.
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
In a small bowl, combine the butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, lemon juice, and parsley, then brush the mixture evenly over the lobster meat.
Place the tails onto a baking sheet, then bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until the lobster is fully cooked but not rubbery. Cook a minute or two longer than you think so it is THOROUGHLY cooked
Serve with a side of melted butter for dipping -- divine!