Vegetable Garden season is winding down in most parts of the U.S., and gardeners everywhere are looking for ways to extend the harvest. One way to keep the garden goodness going is by making the most of whatever vegetables are left on the plants when the weather turns cold. Since tomatoes are such a beloved garden crop, many gardeners rescue all their green tomatoes that would otherwise freeze and bring them in the house. The question then becomes, what to do with all those green tomatoes?

For tomatoes that are close to full-size which just haven't ripened yet, you can actually wrap them in newspaper and they will ripen in a short time, although the flavor isn't really a match for summer vine-ripened tomato taste. I've done this many years when I had a big surplus of tomatoes, but other years I've had fun getting creative with the green un-ripe tomatoes, which do have a good flavor, slightly tart and firmer than ripe tomatoes. And with recent evidence that eating green tomatoes can help reduce cholesterol, it's time to explore some recipes using green tomatoes.

Photo of Fried Green Tomatoes with Mozarella
from Life's Ambrosia

Of course Fried Green Tomatoes are the most famous use of green tomatoes, and if you've tasted them you know how they became famous long before there was a movie of that name. The traditional recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes involves dipping slices of green tomato in egg, then flour or cornmeal, and frying them until the coating is crispy and the tomatoes are cooked. Traditional fried green tomatoes are definitely tasty, but the Fried Green Tomatoes with Mozarella from Life's Ambrosia are taking it up a notch by inserting a layer of mozzarella between the tomatoes, kind of like a fried green tomato sandwich! Life's Ambrosia also has a recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes with Bacon Ranch Dip that looks like another winner.

At Christie's Corner, after she picks all her tomatoes for the season she makes Fried Green Tomato Parmesan, a variation of Eggplant Parmesan using green tomatoes to sub for the eggplant.

Photo of Oven Fried Green Tomatoes
from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

If you like the idea of crispy green tomatoes, but don't want the mess or calories of frying, the Oven Fried Green Tomatoes from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen might be just the thing. This recipe uses cornmeal, quinoa flour, and flax seed for a healthy option for this traditional dish.

Photo of Curried Green Tomatoes
from The Perfect Pantry

There are definitely other ways to enjoy green tomatoes, and at Whistlestop Cafe Cooking, Sandi is making Grilled Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese, which sounds like a perfect season-spanning recipe. Another recipe I thought sounded intriguing was the Curried Green Tomatoes from The Perfect Pantry, which would be perfect to serve over rice. I also loved the sound of Spicy Green Tomato Soup from The Joy of Soup.

Photo of Deep Dish Green Tomato Pie
from A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen

If it's cool enough to use the oven and there are still green tomatoes on the vine, the Green Tomato Gratin from [No Recipes] sounds heavenly. And just one more recipe to leave you drooling and wishing you had some green tomatoes to use up, and I think Deep Dish Green Tomato Pie from A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen is a stunning way to use green tomatoes.

Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen, where she's focused on creating low-glycemic recipes using fresh ingredients. Kalyn vows some year she's going to make fried green tomatoes, but most often when she has a surplus of green tomatoes she'll make something like Salsa Verde with Green Tomatoes, Avocado and Cilantro.