Delicious Recipes To Try Now That Tomato Season Is Here

I love fresh, homegrown tomatoes. Especially Heirloom tomatoes, they are my favorite! I ate so many last summer I hurt my stomach! Crispy, toasted bread with goat cheese, fresh tomato slices and some herbs is the best breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Last weekend I found some fresh Heirloom tomatoes at a produce stand in Gastonia, and they were heavenly. If you're a fan of tomatoes, Southern Living has some excellent recipes you should try this summer. One of the best things to eat in the summer is a good 'ole tomato sandwich. White bread, mayo, tomato, salt and pepper. And that's it. Simple and yummy! Of course, I'm not opposed to a BLT sandwich. The trick with this sandwich is to get some good quality, thick bacon. The freshness of the tomato, crunchy iceburg lettuce, and the saltiness of the bacon are a perfect combination. Years ago, when I lived in Columbia, S.C., I'd go to a place in Five Points called the Gourmet Shop. I'd meet a friend there for lunch often, and we'd always get their chicken salad stuffed into a tomato. Perfection! They're chicken salad is amazing! Making your own or buying your favorite and putting it inside of a big fresh tomato is a great and light meal, especially for summer. Excellent idea if you're having friends over. A friend of mine makes a yummy tomato pie, but this recipe looks like a must for the summer. It's an Heirloom Tomato Pie, with bacon, shallots, and fresh basil. This recipe calls for a parmesan-buttermilk pie crust, which sounds great, but I'm sure you could use any type of pie crust, homemade or store bought. The one recipe I MUST make this summer is something ridiculously easy. It's an Heirloom Tomato Cracker Salad. It's basically tomatoes with saltine crackers crumbled on top but it calls for a few more ingredients to make the dish rich. Simple, but I bet it's really good! There are lots of other recipes to check out from Southern Living. Fried Green Tomatoes is on their list and I LOVE them! I'm not great at frying though. I'll have to try their recipe out and see if I can nail it. If you're really into tomatoes, a simple Caprese salad is one of the best ways to highlight their flavor. It's just slices of tomatoes, slices of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, salt, pepper and some olive oil. Adding some balsamic glaze is an excellent addition. If you have a favorite tomato recipe that you make in the summer, feel free to send it to me! I'm in! [embed]https://twitter.com/Southern_Living/status/1659363377288757249?s=20[/embed]