Donna’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza and Grilled Sweet Chili Marinated Shrimp Skewers

24 April 2016:  Dear Culinary Friends, you may have noticed that my recipes are created gluten free although I rarely point this out.  In this case, I tried making a gluten free pizza crust from a recently published cookbook and was happy with the results.  For the toppings, I decided to use a pesto based sauce with white cheeses and an assortment of fresh vegetables to give it a gourmet twist.  It was simple and tasty, and if you make the pizza dough, you will be in for an extra treat.  The shrimp skewers added the protein component to the dinner, were so very easy to make, and added a sweet and spicy touch to the meal! Enjoy, Donna:

Donna’s Gluten Free Gourmet Pizza

 Ingredients:

One gluten free 12 inch pizza crust*

1 cup pesto sauce

8 ounce package fresh mozzarella, sliced 

4 ounces mixed variety, sliced mushrooms (baby bella, oyster, shiitake)

1 cup mixed colored, sliced sweet bell pepper (orange, red, yellow)

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 ounces asparagus spears, chopped

24 fresh basil leaves

8 ounce package mixed Italian cheese, shredded 

Freshly ground black pepper

*For a homemade version, I use the Pizza recipe, page 195, from “The How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook” and add leaves from one rosemary sprig.

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Spray pizza pan with cooking oil.  Place prepared crust on top of pan.  Add remaining ingredients in order listed.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 4 - 6.

Donna’s Grilled Sweet Chili Marinated Shrimp Skewers

 Ingredients:

12 shrimp skewers, each with 5 uncooked shrimp

One 10 ounce bottle sweet chili sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place skewers in large container that has a cover.  Pour sauce over the skewers assuring that all shrimp are covered.  Top with cover and marinade in  refrigerator for 4 or more hours.  

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.  Season skewers with salt and pepper to taste and grill for about 5 - 7 minutes depending upon size of shrimp, turning halfway through cooking time.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Copyright 2016.