Best of the summer: five great recipes for when it's hot out

Summer is almost over and I realize that a post such as this would have been more useful in, say, June, but I just had the idea last night and thought it would be nice to publish some "best of" round ups every once in a while to be reminded of recipes posted months ago that otherwise will be forever forgotten. So here's my first one. Five great summer recipes for you to enjoy before the fall begins. 

SPICY CORN ON THE COB: Corn is a summer classic. It's good any way you make it, but when you grill it... the grilling adds a certain something to it. Doesn't it? And in this case, there's more to it than just corn and that delicious grill flavor. There's a savory and spicy paste made with butter and all kinds of good spices that make it to die for. Click here to find out how to make it!

BASIL GELATO: No, I have not lost my mind. Trust me. Basil and gelato go hand in hand much more than you would guess. I won't lie to you and tell you that on top of being delicious it's also easy to make, because it isn't. It's kind of a pain in the ass, but it's worth it. I served it with strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar and everyone, even a very difficult-to-please guest, loved it. Wanna try it? Here's the recipe.

KILLER RIBS: Of course I had to include at least one main dish to make on the grill, and these ribs are by far the best I've ever tried. The recipe originally comes from Roy's Restaurant, where my mom liked them so much she asked how to make them at home. Ever since then, this are the only ribs that can be found at out table. Sweet, savory, spicy, they have it all. And, of course, they are juicy and tender. To try them, find the recipe here.

ZUCCHINI BOATS STUFFED WITH COUSCOUS: I invented this recipe on a whim, last Labor Day weekend, when we were trying to put together some type of lunch we could enjoy on the boat at White Trash Beach in Bonita Springs, Florida. I had made a batch —a very large batch— of couscous and I had a truckload of zucchini. So why not use the two together? It turned out to be a refreshing, healthy dish, which is what we needed to go together with the massive amounts of beer we consumed that day. Here's the recipe.

LOBSTER AND AVOCADO CEVICHE:  no cook meals are a must in the summer. This ceviche won't increase the heat in your kitchen and it's so delicious you can serve it either for lunch or for dinner if you have company. Lobster can be substituted with big, plump shrimp if you prefer. You can find the recipe here.