Spinach Basil Pesto Baked Shrimp

I knew I wanted to have shrimp as an appetizer at the wine exchange. Since we were having pizza as the entree, I wanted something with an Italian flavor. I love pesto, but I am allergic to tree nuts, so I always have to make my own. A cheaper alternative to basil pesto is adding in spinach to help bulk up the pesto. I like to buy baby spinach at the salad bar, it is so much cheaper than buying it in the produce department and you can buy as small an amount as you wish. I came up with this recipe and was so proud of myself, until I realized that the shrimp had their shells on. Even though I requested tail on only shrimp at the seafood counter. And after I had already coated each one in pesto and Panko. Luckily, two friends were over early for the party and they helped me peel the shrimp in no time.

Spinach Basil Pesto Baked Shrimp

½ cup baby spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 pound peeled shrimp

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In the bowl of your food processor, add the spinach, basil, cheese, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined. Stream in one tablespoon of the olive oil with the processor running and then transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Stir in the remaining olive oil and Panko. Take the shrimp and coat with the Panko-Pesto mixture and place in a single layer in the greased baking dish. Once all the shrimp are coated, bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until shrimp are cooked through. Cooking time will vary based on the size of your shrimp.

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