I met Angela of Spinach Tiger a few years back and I immediately liked her spunk and beautiful smile. Angela lost her brother and cousin to AIDS. She started “cooking red to remember” for AIDS awareness which is the month of December.
When she asked to cook something red, I had to participate. I also lost two close friends when this epidemic started many years ago.
This is my post: Two Tapas for Two Friends
The baked tomatoes are easy. For every tomato you need two cloves of garlic. Cut tomatoes in half and arrange in a baking dish tuck in the cloves and fresh thyme leaves. Pour a generous amount of olive oil, about 1/4 cup and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until the tomatoes are softened. Remove and serve warm as a side dish with fresh thyme sprigs, squeezing the galic cloves atop each tomato, salt and pepper to taste.
Piquillo peppers are abolutely gorgeous. Upon opening the can each and every one are uniform in size. There are so many ways of stuffing them. I decided on goat cheese, grated manchego, thinly sliced scallions, Jamon Serrano, chopped parsley, paprika sea salt flakes, served with red leaf lettuce and a red vinaigrette made with Reserva Vinagre de Jerez and olive oil.
platanosmangoes.com 
A lovely post for Red to Remember, Norma. Everything looks delicious too!
What a nice way to honor friends and loved ones lost to this terrible disease. I love the dish you prepared, Norma. I would eat that in a heartbeat! I can’t resist garlic and tomatoes.
Piquillos are pure perfection and your presentation is very attractive. The tomatoes look yummy too!
Thank you Norma. A well done dish. Love those baked tomatoes and how it all comes together. Thank you for participating.
Both dishes are perfect. The baked tomatoes are a nice way to increase the flavor of winter tomatoes that are never as tasty as those grown in the summer.
Thank you, Norma, not only for the lovely recipes, but for honoring the sentiment behind the “Red for Remembrance.” A beautiful way to honor those lost to this horrific disease.
Absolutely droolworthy! I have to try those garlic baked tomatoes myself too.
Qué maravilla de plato Norma, me encantó, al igual que la iniciativa Red to Remember…!!!
We, my husband & I had the pleasure of tasting the Piquillo Peppers & tomatoes @ a gathering. Norma made this delicious mouth watering appetizers – i almost ate all the peppers by myself. Ooops>>me & my big mouth…lol
The colors are stunning!!! This would make me very, very happy!!! make me some Norma!! jajja!!!!
Sonia
Oh, I loveeeee the tomatoes and the peppers sound delicious. I love Manchgo cheese! What a great cause. And I remember your stories about your friend. Lots of love. See you soon….
This is such an important cause to bring to our attention. I love both dishes Norma!
you are amazing…
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Color and flavor in the same package 🙂 Tapas, tomato and garlic, need to say more? Wow adorable!
All the best,
Gera
Beautiful dish for a wonderful event,Norma!
Que buena iniciativa!!! Además las recetas se ven exquisitas!!!
You know? I had a reader in Spain, who one day wrote a comment to me, privately, correspondence began, today she is one of my best friends, and this march, she came home, for my birthday, and she cooked pimientos del piquillo for me and my guests..Isn’t that lovely??
Lo mejor para vos y tu familia para el 2013, Normita!!! Un beso enorme, Cristina
This post makes me very hungry.
I always enjoy stuffed peppers, especially the red ones!
Looks delicious.