Summer Supper

I have always enjoyed cooking.  I generally love all the gathering and preparations.   During the heat of the summer,  I am looking for meals which are 
quick, light and easy to prepare, with as little clean-up as possible.  

I don't know about you, but I am usually the one cleaning up the kitchen.  
My husband is an amazing cook, but when he creates he uses every pot, pan, 
dish and utensil available.  And, yep, I am generally the clean-up girl.
Seriously though, for one of his meals I'll do the dishes.

Sticking to my criteria, last night's dinner was perfect.  I decided to combine two of my favorite foods, shrimp and pizza.  Substituting a fresh pesto for the tomato sauce and using only a sprinkling of parmesan I put a bit of a light twist on pizza.

Shrimp Pesto Pizza

1 pound large  'wild caught' shrimp
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus some for the pan
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper to your liking
1/3 cup pesto, or enough to generously cover the top of the pizza crust
(pesto is so easy to make,
but there are some really good quality ones in the market as well)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated.
One pre-baked pizza crust

(I enjoy making my own pizza dough, but there are also  good doughs in the freezer section of some markets.  For this pizza, I used a pre-cooked pizza crust from a specialty market.  Check the ingredients.  I look for one using organic ingredients with no preservatives.  I want it to be as close to my own as  possible.)

Pre-heat oven to 425℉.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the foil.  
Rinse, peel and devein the shrimp.  Place shrimp in a bowl drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  I like to use my hands.  Sprinkle on the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, again toss making sure each shrimp is well seasoned (add or subtract seasoning to you taste).  Let sit while the oven is heating, to allow all the goodness of the seasoning to be absorbed.

Place shrimp on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn and roast for another 2 minutes.  The shrimp
should be pink, but ever so slightly undercooked.  They will finish roasting
once placed on the pizza and returned to the oven.

(For perfectly roasted shrimp I roast them 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
I really don't like rubbery and dry shrimp.)

While the shrimp are roasting, spread pesto onto the baked pizza crust. 

Place pesto covered crust into the oven and bake about 8 minutes.  

The pesto will begin to bubble.

Take the crust from the oven and arrange the roasted shrimp

on top.

  

Lightly sprinkle with parmesan.  Of course you can use any cheese (a good brie
would be fabulous), and as much as you would like. 

(If you use a heartier cheese reduce the roasting time on the shrimp.

You will need longer to melt the cheese, overcooking the shrimp.

 I used parmesan as not to over power the shrimp. ) 

Bake for one minute or until the cheese is melted.

Add a simple undressed tomato and cucumber salad,

and enjoy a simple and yummy summer supper.

I think this will be perfect for a supper after a busy day at school.

I'm adding this one to the line-up.

Bon Appetit'

Do you prefer lighter dishes in the summer?  

Do you have a favorite light summer supper?

Have a wonderful weekend!