You’ve been watching those tomato plants growing in your garden since Memorial Day. It seems like it’s been forever since you saw the first green tomatoes appear on the vines.

Then – all of a sudden – the tomatoes ripen all at once. You’re almost overwhelmed by the crop that’s coming in.

Around this time of year, you can barely give your tomatoes away. Even people without a vegetable garden seem to have plenty of homegrown tomatoes. But that’s a good thing…

They taste so much better than grocery store tomatoes. It hurts to see even one go to waste. If all you’ve been doing is putting them on sandwiches and salads, it’s time to step things up a notch.

Try these delicious uses for you tomatoes…

1. Eat One Like an Apple
This is what my wife likes to do with the first ripe tomato of the year. Just scarf down the whole darn thing!

Sprinkle some salt on it and let the juice dribble down your chin. You’ll instantly remember why you’ve been watering and weeding and pruning for the past three months. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

2. Grill Them Up
Another amazing way to eat your tomatoes is marinated and slightly charred on the grill in your backyard. This is a delicious summer appetizer for tomato-lovers.

Recipes you’ll find online (like this one from Simply Recipes) suggest marinating them in something easy like olive oil, salt, pepper and sliced, fresh basil. It’s smart to use tomatoes that are not extremely ripe as they’ll hold up better while grilling.

If you use a charcoal grill – it’s best to use the indirect heath method – but you can char them by putting them directly over the coals for a short time.

3. Make Homemade Salsa
This is one of my favorite things to do with homegrown tomatoes because I can also use other stuff from my garden.

There are a few different ways to make salsa – but the freshest way is kind of like a chunky pico de gallo.

You just dice up a bunch of your tomatoes. Then do the same with an onion. Add some diced jalapeno peppers or other hot peppers to spice things up. Remember – a lot of the heat from peppers comes from the seeds and white, fleshy stuff on the inside. Add at your own risk!

Finally, some chopped cilantro and a few squirts of lime juice makes it taste extra fresh. Season with salt.

This salsa tastes a lot like the stuff you get at an authentic Mexican restaurant such as El Sarape in Green Bay.

I’d suggest letting the diced tomatoes drain in a colander before you mix everything up. That way you get rid of some of the excess juice and your salsa won’t be watery. Check out these salsa secrets for more detailed tips and instructions.

4. Make Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
You haven’t really eaten spaghetti until you’ve had it with sauce made from your own tomatoes! Nothing on store shelves compares, and this is really easy to make.

First blanch the tomatoes by dropping them in boiling water for a short time. Then immediately put them in a bath of icy water. This is how you remove the skins. You could also try roasting them first.

You can add fresh basil, onion, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and some brown sugar to sweeten it up, even a few splashes of wine.

After that…it’s all about the simmering.

5. Marinated Tomato Slice Appetizers with Feta Cheese
This one is really easy, but fresh and yummy too.

Let some thick slices of tomato soak in a marinade on a plate for a little while. You can use balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or pick your favorite Italian dressing.

Then top the slices with crumbled Feta cheese. Of course, since you’re a Wisconsinite, you can also try other cheeses. Bleu cheese is awesome, mozzarella is perfect, Asiago is packed with flavor, and even some chunks of extra sharp cheddar will work.

6. Tomato Fruit Cocktail
Yes, the tomato is technically a fruit after all. But you rarely see it in fruit salads.

Try putting little tomato wedges – or better yet, halved cherry tomatoes – in a unique fruit cocktail. Some fruit to try with the tomatoes include: pineapple, mango, all types of berries, watermelon and cantaloupe, pears and cucumbers (also technically a fruit FYI).

The tomatoes will add a tanginess to the other, sweeter fruit.

7. Stuffed & Broiled Tomatoes
Usually we put tomatoes on top of a dish or mixed inside. But what about putting stuff in the tomato?

Stuffed tomatoes make an impressive side dish, and there are a lot of different ideas to try. Hollow them out and fill them up with things like seasoned rice, goat cheese, artichokes and olives. You can also try bread crumbs and sausage, or make a spicy stuffed tomato with peppers

8. Make the Best Bloody Mary Ever
Got a juicer? Got some vodka? Time to party!

If you’re a Bloody Mary purist who refuses to drink a pre-mixed cocktail, you’ve got to try making your own with fresh tomatoes. Even without the booze – this is a refreshing summer beverage that’s packed with healthy stuff.

Even without a juicer, you can make your own tomato juice in blender. Spice it up to your liking. Throw in a stick of celery and you’re good to go!

Here are a whole bunch of different ways to make homemade bloody marys from Delish.com.

9. Chill Out With Homemade Gazpacho
Throw together a scrumptious summer soup that’s packed with garden-fresh flavor

Gazpacho is a Spanish soup that’s served cold. You’ll use ripe, uncooked tomatoes and can also add other produce from your backyard garden – including onions, cucumber and bell peppers. Season it, blend it down to the right consistency, chill and enjoy!

10. Make Homemade Bruschetta
Bruschetta is always a hit when you need an appetizer or an hors duevre.

This recipe is a lot like the homemade pico de gallo salsa – except it’s full of Italian flavor instead of Mexican spiciness.

Make sure to use fresh basil leaves, and a high-quality olive oil is a good idea too. You can use any kind of tomato – but a lot of the recipes we found online suggested roma or plum tomatoes. Top it with Feta and parsley. Then scoop it on to some toasted french baguette with butter and garlic. Your dinner guest will be very impressed.

#tomatoes