Super Simple Pesto Artchoke Skewers

This may very well be the easiest thing I have ever made.  Yep, the easiest.  Well, okay okay… the Caprese Sticks may get the best-basic award, but these skewers are up there!  From start to finish, they took me about 20 minutes… 15 of which were baking time.  So ya, I feel silly even babbling about how good something so simple could be, but they’re really good.  Easy and good.

Beauty is you can really use whatever you want for these… I used yellow and green zuke, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and a few fresh cherry tomatoes from my garden.  Then tossed ’em in some yummy pesto and baked them for about 15 minutes.

It’s really that simple 🙂

I’ve been making a lot of my own pesto lately- have to with the plethora of basil that’s taking over my windowsill lately!  But… I happened to eat at The Picnic Basket yesterday, which is an amazing little cafe/deli/ice creamery that supports and uses all locally grown goods, which I love- plus they make great food so… yah, it’s a goodie.  Anyway, had a little side of pesto I brought home yesterday and figured I’d use that up.  Use any kind you like- store bought, homemade, or the leftover from a restaurant kind 🙂

I am not putting serving amounts or measurements since it’s really up to you how many

skewers you want and how many of each thing you want on your skewers… 🙂

artichoke hearts (if frozen, thaw first)

1 yellow zucchini

1 green zucchini

sun dried tomatoes

cherry tomatoes (optional)

pesto- any kind you like… a couple tablespoons

sprinkle of salt and pepper

for garnish: fresh parmesan and basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

(Alternatively, you could grill these)

Chop zucchini into fairly thick slices- about 3/4 inch or so

Place artichoke hearts and zukes in a bowl

Scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of pesto into a bowl and toss

No real need to let it marinate or sit- the pesto coats a

and flavors the veggies well enough when tossed

I left the sun dried and fresh tomatoes out, just to make skewering easy…

I any order you like, place veggies on skewers

The only rule I had was that I made sure to place a sun dried tomato right next

to each artichoke heart- thought they’d compliment each other well…

Lookin’ yummy already right?

Lay on a large baking sheet, without over lapping

(No need to oil it- the pesto has enough in it)

Sprinkle with a light dash of salt and pepper

Bake for about 15 minutes…

They’re  ready when they’re lightly browned and sizzling

This next part is optional…

Mix a little pesto with olive oil- so it’s extra saucy- and heat until warm

Make a little pesto path plates to rest skewers into… adds flavor and color

Grate some fresh parm if you want…

And plate!!

Enjoy!!