Baked Tomatoes and Artichokes

I am a cookbook addict , there really needs to be some kind of program for obsessively buying cookbooks since I am fast running out of room to house them . However, with each new purchase I do try to cook from each book . One of my most recent purchases was The Tuscan Sun Cookbook written by Frances Mayes and Edward Mayes . I had never heard of this book before but on a recent visit to Books a Million it caught my eye . I am immediately drawn to Italian cookbooks since it is my favortie type of food .

This is a wonderful book filled with more recipes that I would like to try . The first recipe that caught my eye though was Baked Tomatoes and Artichokes .

Baked Tomatoes and Artichokes

serves 6
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
2 9-ounce boxes frozen Artichoke Hearts, thawed
4 tomatoes, diced
1 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, minced
3 tablespoons capers

Preheat the oven to 350* F.

In a large bowl, toss together the pepper strips, artichokes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil . Season with half of the salt and pepper, and all of the thyme . Empty this into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish . Roasted uncovered in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the onions and peppers are tender .

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar, the rest of the salt and pepper, and the parsley and capers to make a dressing .

Remove the vegetables from the oven, and pour the dressing over them . Return the dish to the oven to warm for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature .
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This was absolutely delicious and a recipe that I will definitely prepare again and again . I had made this to go with a Family Meatloaf recipe since I thought it would pare nicely and meatloaf does need something special to make the menu special . This was it!!!!!

I had never used frozen artichokes and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor . I used medium sized tomatoes and their juices went right in too . Since my husband and I were babysitting some of our grands that evening so their Mom and Dad could go to a Kentucky Derby party I thought it would be a "good thing" to bring this dinner . They all absolutely loved this vegetable dish and are still raving about how good it was . I thought so and I was very pleased that everyone else thought so too . Thats always an ego booster when you please everyone at the table .

This is a vegetable dish that would be wonderful when entertaining friends, on a buffet since it can be served at room temperature and the combination of flavors were excellent . I used fresh thyme and parsley from my Herb garden, such a "feel good thing" when you can snip herbs for a dish from your own garden but I feel quite certain that the dried thyme would be just as delicious .

I am sharing this recipe on Foodie Friday hosted by Michael Lee West at Designs by Gollum .

I hope you will try this vegetable dish, you won't be disappointed . A simple dish but oh so very good .