Mexican Mahi Ceviche

I just returned from the beautiful shores of Puerto Vallarta, a sleepy tourist town in Southwest Mexico with the most beautiful of sites and tastes and people. Reality is slowly (and sadly) setting in during these cooler rainy days in Memphis, and I can still feel the sunny, salty air and taste the addictive, salty guac that seemed to arrive on-demand every few hours of the trip...

Traveling with my boyfriend Alex's family was a dream. Though I missed mine dearly over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Shindler-Hughes-Dufour group of 19 proved to offer the best balance of character: easy-going and wildly entertaining, welcoming and grateful. We spent 7 days swimming with dolphins, touring the town's food scene, boating in the Bay, beaching and fishing. Of course, each bucket list activity was framed with a homemade breakfast and dinner in the open-air kitchen and Harry Potter-esque dining room of our seven-story private casa. And plenty of cinnamon sugar-rolled churro deliveries, per Carey's request.

The ultimate highlight was reeling in a 35-pound Mahi (or Dorado) off the Bay of Banderas. Alex's dad, David, helped me hold onto the fishing rod for dear life as the fish fought the line for what felt like five years. Luckily, Lindsey, Adam and Tiffany were ready with cameras, GoPros, and instant polaroids in one hand (and a Tecate beer in the other).

For my first-ever deep sea fishing trip, it was a delight to witness the process in its entirety, from reeling and catching to filleting and serving. Upon returning to Casa Yvonneka, our chef Melena prepared the most exquisite sashimi-style ceviche. I hope to recreate this recipe at home, though nothing beats a fresh catch!

Makes 6 servings

1 pound mahi fillets, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 jalapeño chiles, seeded; 2 minced, 2 thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine fish, lime juice, and oregano in large glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Chill for approximately 20 minutes.

2. Strain almost all lime juice from fish. Stir in onion, minced and sliced jalapeños, and cilantro. Season with salt. Serve, or chill up to 2 hours.

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Latke Topping Bar

Chanukah begins next week, and, this year, it's perfectly timed between the seasonal bookends of Thanksgiving and New Years. If a gathering is in the back of your mind, I highly recommend this route of celebrating the holiday: a latke topping bar! Extremely versatile and equally appropriate for a small or large group, your only pre-party requirement is latke frying. I recommend prepping the latkes the night beforehand, during which you can cover and refrigerate. To reheat, simply toast in the oven on 425 degrees until crispy. Then, scatter small bowls of creative toppings on a bar cart or buffet!

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SPIRALIZED SWEET POTATO LATKES ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and spiralized

• 1 scallions, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoons coarse salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• Oil, for frying

TRADITIONAL MINI POTATO LATKES ingredients

• 2 large Russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and grated

• 1 large onion, peeled and grated

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 easpoon freshly ground black pepper

• Oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toss all ingredients until combined and evenly coated.

2. Fill a large skillet with about 1/2 inch oil. Place over medium heat until oil is almost smoking. (To test, drop a small bit of batter into the skillet; it should sizzle upon contact.)

3. Working in batches so as not to crowd skillet, carefully spoon one heaping tablespoon of batter into oil for each latke. Lightly tamp down to flatten into 1 1/2 inch cakes. Cook, turning once, until golden on each side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.

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ARUGULA, SMOKED SALMON, CRÉME FRAÎCHE AND GREEN ONION: Add a small bunch of crunchy, peppery arugula, a slice of nova, and top with a small spoonful of crème fraîche—store-bought or handmade. The green onion garnish adds an extra punch of color and spice.

GREEK YOGURT AND BRANDIED FIGS Cover chopped figs with just enough brandy to reach halfway up the sides of a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring and tossing the fruit, then turn off the heat and cover the pot; let sit for an hour. Drain figs and use them to garnish plain and healthy greek yogurt-adorned latkes.

APPLE BUTTER (OR APPLESAUCE) WITH CINNAMON: The most traditionally-styled topping calls for sweet apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg. Homemade apple butter is pure delight, though many find store-bought applesauce perfectly appropriate as a potato topper.

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Special thanks to FIX Magazine and Troy Glasgow.

Sweet Potato Hash with Italian Sausage

Enter your new favorite brunch entreé.

This entire dish can be made ahead. No chopping sweet potatoes at 8 a.m. allowed. In the morning, spread the refrigerated hash in a big pan. Slide it into a hot oven, and go make coffee. When you come back, the potatoes will be hot and crisped.

Easy, nourishing, delicious — your kitchen will smell amazing, and you'll be ready to serve a crowd. You'll still have plenty of room for something sweet, too...Like brown butter banana bread or cinnamon rolls.

Makes 6-8 servings

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced in half moons 1/2 pound fresh Italian turkey sausage 2 pounds sweet potatoes, cubed in 1/2 inch pieces 4 slices uncured bacon, coarsely chopped 4 garlic cloves, sliced 2 short stems fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 teaspoon Nature Nate's honey Kosher salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, heat butter on medium-high heat. Add onions and a generous sprinkle of salt. Lower heat slightly and cook onions for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until very brown and caramelized.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, brown the sausage over medium-high heat. Break up sausage with a spatula and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, mix sweet potato cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, honey, and rosemary. Add sausage and caramelized onions to the bowl, and combine.

4. Line a baking sheet with foil and pour sweet potato mixture into an even layer. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

5. To serve, heat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potato hash in a 9x13 baking dish, and cook for 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with parmesan or baked eggs.

Spaghetti Squash Topping Bar

Now that we're (somehow) in November, gatherings will become the norm. So rather than stressing about homemade, high-maintenance dishes, I recommend introducing simple yet sophisticated serving ideas for your hosted holiday parties. The spaghetti squash topping bar has proven to be my ultimate solution: minimal dishes required (the squash is a bowl in itself), customizable combinations, and hands-on entertainment for every party guest. Plus, it's low carb; and don't we all need a bit of healthy menu planning this season?

Click on the article below for access to the full November Health + Fitness Magazine, where my spaghetti squash topping bar was originally featured. Enjoy!

Honey Carrot Soup

Since the unexpectedly warmer temperatures are not naturally permeating onto my autumn dinner plate, I turned instead to my new Le Creuset dutch oven for seasonal inspiration. I first used the new ceramic centerpiece for a to-die-for eggplant parmesan. But last night called for a simpler method: slice, stir, simmer, and spin. In one hour total (with maybe five minutes of hands-on action), a smooth carrot ginger soup was ready to serve...after a few photos, of course.

Grab your bushy-topped farmers' market carrots and a bottle of raw, unfiltered Nature Nate's honey for this vegetarian, slightly sweet and spicy delight. And make sure to share your own Nature Nate’s honey creations on social media using @naturenates and #honeymakesitbetter!

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium sweet onion, sliced 2 ounces fresh ginger, coarsely chopped and crushed 26 ounces water 3 cups raw grated carrots 2 tablespoon Nature Nate's honey Juice of 1 lemon 2 teaspoons salt 10 twists of ground black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Add ginger and continue to cook, approximately 8 minutes.

3. Add water, carrot, honey, lemon, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down heat to a simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool. Pour soup into a blender and pulse until smooth. Serve hot with a drizzle of honey.

This post is in partnership with Nature Nate’s. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!