Amanda & Merrill's End-of-Summer Picks

We've written about hundreds of recipes since the early days, and this being a "Best Of" week here at Food52, we thought it was only fitting for each of us to bring back a few of our late summer go-tos.

Here are Merrill's:

Lobster Diavolo -- yes, the name inspired some controversy, but that doesn't change the fact that this pasta is a crowd pleaser.

Roasted Corn with Lime, Parmesan and Chili -- sweet, spicy and savory all at once. Elote, without the cob.

My Best Tomato Sandwich -- when it comes down to it, there's no better vehicle for summer's most coveted fruit/vegetable.

Steak with Arugula, Lemon and Parmesan -- a quick turn on the grill, and dinner's on the table. (Amanda, here: I made this last night for a group of 12, served on a large platter and passed around the table. Huge hit!)

Watermelonade -- a perfect refresher for the last of summer's heat.

Berry Summer Pudding -- a great British culinary tradition, second only to Spotted Dick.

Cream Cheese Cookies -- these work pretty much any time of year.

And here are Amanda's:

White Gazpacho with Cantaloupe -- one of the seven wonders of the culinary world: almonds, garlic, bread and oil make a silky, cool white soup. I'm happy every time I eat it.

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup -- roasting the tomatoes intensifies their flavor and mashing the tomatoes by hand intensifies your biceps.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Panko and Parmesan -- spiky panko makes the fried tomatoes extra crisp, and parmesan never hurts.

Summer Squash Gratin with Salsa Verde and Gruyere -- this recipe comes from "Sunday Suppers at Lucques" by Suzanne Goin. The green sauce and cheese may sound like a dubious pairing, but they're BFF, promise.

Spaghetti with Clams, Parsley, Garlic, and Lemon (x2) -- think of lemon as a bright noon sun, and preserved lemon as a deep rosy sunset -- here you get both illuminating the dish.

Nectarine Slump -- ripe, juicy fruit tucked beneath a mascarpone cloud.

Peach Tart -- an oil-based press-in crust with no par-baking required. Peaches that you don't have to peel. Peachy keen!