Hello and welcome! Today I am celebrating my 45th trip around the sun. While it’s a little weird to wrap my head around how fast time goes by, I am super-happy to be square in the middle of my 40’s. Life feels settled; I have a wonderful husband, we have our fur-kids, I feel normal in my skin and I have the privilege to do what I love every day – cooking and sharing my ideas with you. And as Djalali Cooks approaches its one year anniversary, I thought today might be a good day to scroll back through the archives and select a few of my favorite pizzas from the last year. So, let’s do this Pizza and a Movie Round Up!
In No Particular Order…
You Say Potato
This pizza is near and dear to my heart. The signature pizza from my alma mater, Escape From New York Pizza in San Francisco, You Say Potato has a pesto base with roasted potatoes and whole roasted garlic cloves. This is an incredibly simple pizza with flavor that will knock your socks off!
Read the Original Post and Get the Recipe
Quattro Formaggi – Four Cheese Pizza
Hard to not to love the simplicity of a four cheese pizza. A rich and savory blend of Mozzarella, Fontina, Gruyere and Blue Cheese. I have swapped the traditional Parmesan for Gruyere and I am not at all sorry! Gruyere’s nuttiness is milder than the Parmesan’s sharpness and Gruyere melts like a dream! Fresh cracked black pepper and thyme leaves are all the dressing-up this pizza needs to be a rockstar!
Read the Original Post and Get the Recipe
Bresaola and Arugula Salad Pizza
Beef Prosciutto, also known as Bresaola, with thick fresh mozzarella; topped with a savory and punchy arugula salad. Bresaola is cured beef from the Lombardi region of Italy. It has a slightly sweeter flavor than a pork prosciutto and this sweeter, mustier flavor goes so well with the fresh peppery flavor of the arugula, the acidic vinaigrette and the preserved lemon, tarragon and shallots in the salad. I do love an arugula salad on top of my pizza!
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Esquites Pizza
This pizza is a bit of a mashup, really. I have done Mexican-style pizzas with chorizo and corn before, but this pizza is on a whole other level. It started with the leftover Esquites we made earlier in the week. I was enjoying that salad when an idea struck. Put the Esquites on pizza. YES! How on earth could that not be delicious? Perhaps needless to say, but I will say it anyway – this pizza is genius.
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Mississippi Pot Roast Pizza
This is actually Alex’s favorite pizza of 2021. He still keeps talking about it. Like the Esquites Pizza, this was born of leftovers. Because as we do here at the Djalali House, we challenge ourselves to make something new with leftovers…and well, the easy answer to that challenge is always to put it on a pizza, because it never fails.
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Mushroom Shishito Pepper Pizza
This has to be one of the most unique and delicious pizzas I have ever come up with. Asian flavors; mushrooms and shishito peppers sautéd with soy sauce and rice vinegar, topped with Fly By Jing Chili Crisp and fresh scallions. I hope it sounds more intriguing than weird to you, because this pizza kinda blew our minds. It definitely makes the cut for favorite pizzas of 2021.
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High Ridge Hot Honey Pizza
This pizza might look simple with its sausage and pepperoni, mozzarella and hot honey…but wait, there’s that fresh tarragon…and this is where it all gets really interesting. The hot Italian sausage has fennel seeds in it, that fennel plus the fresh tarragon is the backbone of this pizza. Spiciness is brought forward from the sausage and hot honey, but then the sweetness from the honey comes through. Herbaceous, sweet, savory and spicy all in one bite with rich fresh mozzarella and crunchy, pillowy dough. This might be my favorite pizza of the Pizza and a Movie Round Up…but it’s hard to choose a single favorite!
Read the Original Post and Get the Recipe
Pizza and a Movie Round Up
Well, I hope you enjoyed going back through the archives with me today to see my favorite pizzas from Pizza and a Movie so far this year. Djalali Cooks turns one year old on November 7 and I just want to say thank you for all your support this year; it means the world to me. I genuinely cannot do this without you – THANK YOU. ❤️ xo Kelly
Angela Grafe
November 5, 2021 at 9:04 amHerzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag! You do a fantastic Job, your blog inspires me! Stay happy and healthy with your family!
Angela
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 9:56 amHi Angela! Thank you so much! I am really happy you are a part of Djalali Cooks – it’s always so nice to hear from you!Have a wonderful weekend, xo Kelly
Ivy
November 5, 2021 at 10:09 amHappy Birthday to my favorite blogger!
Happy Anniversary to my favorite blog!
I wish I were your next door neighbor!
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 10:20 amThank you so much, Ivy! Your support means so much to me. It’s great to hear from you today, have a wonderful weekend! xo Kelly
Sylvia Espinoza
November 5, 2021 at 10:13 amHappy 45th to you, Kelly, and Happy 1st to Djalali Cooks ? Very happy and blessed you’re in our lives! You keep us inspired with every single post, today’s being a prime example. Love your “45th trip around the sun” description of your birthday! Yours truly just had her latest trip around the sun two days ago…with a long running start ahead of you ? Though I don’t live by the Zodiac, yay Scorpios, anyhow! Love & Hugs!~
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 10:22 amHappy Birthday to you too, Sylvia! Thank you for being with me since Kelly’s Kitchen; it’s been a great time so far and I look forward to many more good things to come! xo Kelly
Mari
November 5, 2021 at 12:50 pmBelated Happy Birthday Sylvia! I always enjoy your comments. We have the beginning of a Scorpio club here, which is awesome. I hope you had a great birthday. ?? ??
Mari
November 5, 2021 at 10:16 amOh to have all the ingredients on hand and have a pizza buffet! What bliss that would be. Happy Birthday to my favorite fellow Scorpio. I hope you have a wonderful day surrounded by friends and loved ones, and a pile of lovely presents. This year my oldest son gave me a spice grinder/coffee grinder. I wanted a better one than the little Cuisinart one that I’ve had forever. The scent of freshly ground spices is heavenly, as I discovered when I got into Indian cooking. It’s even better when you fry whole spices! The house will smell wonderful forever. Well at least for a few days, that lovely smell will linger like a memory or a dream you can’t quite forget.
I liked what you said about feeling comfortable in your own skin. The best part of aging is the ability to relax and see things as they are, and to understand and accept ourselves and others as they are. We can’t really change anyone else, but some times I wish we could! This is the first time in many years that my husband wasn’t here eating cake and ice cream, but neither was anyone else! Even half a cake would have been too much to get through, and I didn’t have any room in my freezers for one small layer, so I didn’t bother with it. Sweets really aren’t my thing, but don’t ask me about the gluten free vegan pretzels that are covered in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermint.
Happy Birthday and Happy Friday to you, Alex, and Terry as you celebrate the wonder that is you. No Stump The Chef, because it’s a special day, but we will return next week with the damsels in distress edition. Happy Birthday! ????
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 10:29 amHello Mari! We have at least a few fellow Scorpios here – it’s wonderful! No cake on my horizon today, but my Mom did send me a bag of my favorite sweet – Chocolate Covered Gummi Bears. Sounds weird, but they are so good! Thank you so much for all your support and our fun conversations. I really cherish having you as part of Djalali Cooks. Have a beautiful weekend, xo Kelly
Terry
November 5, 2021 at 10:23 amHappy birthday ? and happy anniversary ?? you are amazing to the moon ? and back ?Mom
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 10:49 amThanks, Mom! Love you too ❤️ xo Kelly
Paula
November 5, 2021 at 10:37 amHappy Birthday,Kelly! Have a great day. I do really enjoy reading and trying your recipes. It gives a chance to try new things.
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 10:50 amThank you, Paula! I am so happy you enjoy the blog and that it inspires you to try new things. That’s the best birthday gift to me! Have a great weekend, xo Kelly
Mary
November 5, 2021 at 10:58 amHappy Birthday to you and congratulations on the blog anniversary! I enjoy all your posts and have made several of your recipes. They were delicious. Have a wonderful day!
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 12:57 pmThank you, Mary! I am so happy you’ve have made and enjoyed several recipes – and that you enjoy the posts! Have a wonderful weekend, xo Kelly
Pat
November 5, 2021 at 12:28 pm? Happy Birthday To You ?. Love your blog, have made so many of your recipes. Living alone, my neighbors have also enjoyed a share ?. I need to be better at letting you know.
May your day be filled with love and appreciation
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 12:58 pmThank you so much, Pat! It’s so great to know that you have made recipes and shared the fruits of your labor with your neighbors! Have a beautiful weekend, xo Kelly
Sandra
November 5, 2021 at 1:29 pmHi Kelly The Birthday Girl!
I wish you the very best and much continued success. It’s more than recipes, isn’t it? It’s a kind of alchemy where you create this delicious food and “feed” it into your life and lifestyle and share it with us so we can work the magic too! I can’t explain it I just know it’s great. Happiest of birthdays to you.
Stay awesome Kelly.
Take care
Sandra
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 7:42 pmOh Sandra, thank you so much! I so enjoy the sharing and the community we’ve created with Djalali Cooks. I am so happy to have you as part of Djalali Cooks! Thanks again, xo Kelly
Ángela
November 5, 2021 at 1:30 pmFeliz cumpleaños, Happy birthday from Madrid (Spain), I discovered you through your mother in law. I love your recipes.
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 7:43 pmThank you Ángela! I am so happy you found me through Beth! It’s so wonderful to have a reader in Spain!!!! xo Kelly
Becky
November 5, 2021 at 1:43 pmHappy birthday, Kelly!
Love your blog! You make every recipe so easy to follow. Thanks for sharing your love of cooking with all of us!
Becky
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 7:44 pmThank you, Becky! It makes my day to create easy-to-follow recipes and to inspire you to cook! Have a lovely weekend! xo Kelly
Kenzie
November 5, 2021 at 4:32 pmHappy birthday and Happy blogversary! Love trying out your recipes. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Kelly Djalali
November 5, 2021 at 7:46 pmHello Kenzie, Thank you so much! I am so happy you love trying out my recipes, that is a great birthday gift to me! Have a beautiful weekend, thank you so much for stopping by! xo Kelly