About Ali
Hey! I’m Ali, and I am so happy that you found your way here to Gimme Some Oven.
I created this little corner of the internet to celebrate life around the table and the good food that bring us all together. Here in our house, we gravitate towards recipes that are quick, easy, seasonal, (mostly) healthy, and big on flavor. So whether that’s whipping up a quick stir-fry or batch of cozy wild rice soup in the wintertime, blending up some refreshing gazpacho with sangria in the summertime, making our millionth batch of tacos and margs on Tuesdays, or baking up a warm batch of cinnamon rolls and eggs benny for sunny weekend brunches — my heart is never more happy than when my table is filled with good food and good people gathered ’round.
If that sounds like your style too, you’ve got a kindred spirit right here. ♡
A bit about me.
When I began this blog back in 2009, I was working as a full-time musician by day and cooking up a storm by night. Now, I have the privilege of doing all of the recipe-developing and writing for this site as my full-time job. And more than a decade into blogging, I can honestly say that I still absolutely love it. Seeing the recipes that I create here in my tiny kitchen show up on your tables around the world makes my heart deeply so happy, and I work hard to be sure that this site continues to be a trustworthy resource for you to turn to.
Beyond the blog, I’m a born-and-raised Kansas girl who’s currently living the expat life for awhile in Barcelona, Spain. We try to make the most of those crazy-cheap RyanAir tickets and travel on the weekends around Europe as much as possible. But when we’re home, you can find us soaking up sunny terraces with friends, taking the pups for long walks along the shore, enjoying endless tapas and glasses of vermut, and just enjoying our cozy little apartment here in the city center.
To follow more along with life and reflections behind-the scenes, feel free to follow my personal Instagram account. And for anyone interested, I also share there about our infertility and IVF journey too.
A bit about my food philosophy.
So what kinds of recipes will you see here on Gimme Some Oven?
Short answer: a little bit of everything.
The food that I share on the blog is the food that we eat here in our home. And as an omnivore married to a vegetarian, the majority of the meals in our house are now plant-based. (So some of you long-time readers may notice that meat dishes have become less common on here.) One of the things I also love about living in Barcelona is that the markets here are strictly seasonal — as in, you couldn’t find fresh watermelon or tomatillos here in December if you tried — which has been great extra motivation to cook with seasonal produce as much as possible.
The majority of our meals during the weekdays fall in the 30-minutes-or-less category. But I also love cozying up with a hot cup of coffee or a glass of wine on the weekends and diving into recipes that require a bit more time, like our favorite Swedish cinnamon buns or Spanish paellas or DIY maki rolls for “Sushi Sundays.” You may notice that we also have a major weakness for Mexican food, noodles of all kinds, soups and various kinds of cookies around here. And while most of my recipes are on the healthier side, I definitely also enjoy indulging in some indulgent sweets and comfort foods on occasion.
So as always, please always feel free to take whatever recipes you love on here and leave the rest. And if you ever have specific recipe requests, don’t hesitate to let me know because I love to cook what you’re craving!
Thank you.
More than anything, I just want to say thank you so much for being here, and I hope that this site can play some small part in making your days a little brighter and tastier. Cheers, everyone. ♡
Love,
Ali
Ali! Such a cute story and cute pups. We just cooked up your enchiladas with your homemade enchilada sauce. It’s amazing how easy it is to make! Super delicious and worth every minute. Hope you are loving Barcelona!!
hi Ali!
if i were to make your enchilada sauce with fresh green chilis how much should a i add?
Dear Ali, I am so excited to have found your website! I enjoyed reading about you. I have met some ladies where I live who were very involved in the Enneagram. I found it fascinating. Thank you for sharing! When you have a chance, do you have a recipe (it has ground beef in it) for chili? My husband likes thick chili and while I am not a good cook, I am looking for a recipe for thick chili with ground beef that I could make for him. As a side note, we married in 2013 (I was 56) and so we have not been married to eat other all of our lives, and I find it really hard to appease him with the cooking that I have done. When we worked, our schedules were so tight that we chose to do takeout on most nights, with leftovers on other nights. Now that we are retired, I was hoping to get into cooking, but he is hard to please and it has left me with not much of a desire to cook. I hope chili could be a good start.
May I comment here? I feel your pain! I have found that what works for me in making a thick chili is adding extra beans. I love the brand “Ranch Style Beans”. Have you ever seen those in your grocery store? And my favorite chili seasoning is the “Williams Chili Seasoning”. I hope this might be of a bit of help for you! Would you like my recipe?
Ali, I hope it is ok for me to comment here!???
Hi there. My favorite chili recipe is from Paula Dean’s son, Jamie. It’s so flavorful, is thick but not too thick, makes a lot so have small freezer containers ready. Reheats wonderfully. I am a Floridian but I prepare it 8-10 times beginning mid October.
Use a Dutch oven because it does make a lot.
Hmmm…think I’ll do some this weekend and get my freezer stocked!
Have a blessed day!
Hey Ali! Found your Tex-Mex Migas recipe and will be making those for my dad this Father’s Day! I love that you were inspired by your trip to Austin. That’s our home. So it seems perfect! Now I just need to find a delish recipe for “Morning Margaritas.” Cheers!
Hey Ali,
I have been using your recipes for some time. Finally, I noticed a trend. Half of my go to recipes are from your site. One I have shared the most – meatballs (the best but for fake beef I double season – panko panade is the key and a must do). We are undertaking a project to do one or two of your recipes a week as a family.
So I wanted to drop you a note in the event you read things like this to let you know how talented I think you are and how much we have gotten from your work. I look forward to reading your first book or watching your future show ( if you do that kind of thing). Otherwise, I’d be interested in knowing how I could support your work, so if you offer subscriptions or have Patreon, I’ll join. As I write that, it occurs to me to check your website for that information.
Best wishes from a fan,
MRobert
I made the beef jerky per your recipe. Man….it was so easy. I used eye of round for the meat. The jerky came out super flavorful, had just the right amount of chew couple with just the right amount of pliability. I held back on some the pepper as my wife really dislikes peppery stuff, but I think I will add the full amount next time as I think it just the kick it needs. Great recipe, super easy, and the results were pretty darn good!
OMG1 THE BEST MEATBALLS EVER! I have tried lots of recipes but never ever had a good outcome. These meatballs are the best ever! I ate more than I should and cannot wait to share with boyfriend and
daughter. I just used organic ground beef, 85/15, nothing else but I dis substitute fresh herbs. Soooo good, moist, flavorful, yum!
I just came upon your recipe for Roasted Artichokes and I can’t wait to try it! As a graphic designer and massive foodie, I have to tell you how beautiful your food photography is. I’ve spent years looking and working with stock photography. I wish I could’ve had gorgeous pics like these to work with!
*****
Your red velvet cupcake recipe is awesome!
I have always used box mixes until now, thank you!
I followed the recipe to a T with the exception of the Chinese Seeds when making the No Bake Energy Bites but I had such difficulty making them into balls after chilling for two hours. Any suggestions?! They are delicious!
I first came across your website when I looked for dinner rolls, they were so awesome I had to check out other recipes. I love your no bake cookies and all the other recipes I have tried! I would recommend to anyone!
I got your name from Jeannette Bovard and her daughter Lizzie. My daughter and I will be in Barcelona next April and real excited about it. What restaurants??? SHOPPING and points of interest.
Regarding your Mexican Cesar Salad…, I appreciate you sharing but that is offensive when you label a salad as Mexican Cesar Salad. We don’t call a regular salad a White Cesar Salad. As a Latina (educated )woman I know ppl already label ppl of color and this is just another way. I’m sure it was not intentional but I believe it’s simple as being ignorant. It’s a rhetorical question but is because it has cilantro, tortilla chips etc just a thought for your soul. Thank you
Ali,
I so enjoyed reading of your life in Barcelona. I never made it up to Barcelona when I spent the summer studying in Spain a lifetime ago. My Arèvalo friends convinced me that Barcelona wasn’t really Spain. I had a job offer to stay but decided to return home to the U.S. first and see if I still wanted to live in Spain. Ah, the road not taken.
I just discovered your website today. We ordered a large eggdrop soup from our favorite take away. It loses its thickness when reheated. I was looking to see if anyone addressed reheating the soup. Your recipe looks perfect and I will try it soon. My recipe (when I don’t order in) doesn’t call for toasted sesame oil, or ginger, and garlic powders.
So, I look forward to making it soon.
I also like Japanese food. I searched the Internet for years looking for a copykat recipe for Ron of Japan’s incredible Egg Yolk Sauce. Finally, a chef and I came up with just the right ingredients…now I finish my shrimp and lobster tails with heaping piles of the sauce (a thick miso mayo), cover and steam on low for 10 minutes or so, dip each bite in a soy sauce dip. Yum! Sorry, I get lost in the image.
Anyway, I am glad I found you!
Love your blog! You are on my go to list of places to get recipes. I live with lots of picky people and constantly have my kids’ friends in the house as well. I need all the help I can get to keep this crew happy and you are doing a fabulous job of making me look like a good cook. Thanks!!
I will be making egg drop soup for the very first time. I am kinda nervous about. After reading the ingredients and watching a short video, it seems easy but I know the hard part is making egg ribbons to make it look like egg drop soup from chinese restaurants.
Any idea of the nutrition info on the eggplant Parmesan?
Good morning,
For the baked pork chops, the oven temperature is missing. Can you please share?
Thank you,
Hugh
Can you please tell me how many calories are in each of the protein energy balls?
Greetings from KC. When I was a boy, my father spent some time in India and came home with a recipe for pilau that included prunes, cashew nuts, cabbage, potatoes, and other vegetables that I do not remember along with appropriate Indian spices. It was wonderful and was always the center piece of a meal that Dad prepared when his missionary friends from India visited us in central Kansas. Can you help me? Do you have such a recipe? Howard M. says hello and I will see him tomorrow morning. How is little “T”? And Barclay?
Ali, looking up your baked chicken recipe I immdiately liked your direct approach. Simple but with an emphasis on important details. I’m a vegetarian but my wife eats meat so, Chicken happens sometimes. I do almost all the shopping and cooking – I call it hunting and gathering. Sometimes I plan things out some but sometimes I look at what we have and see what I can compose. Having been a multi instrumentalist and composer most of my life, it’s not really that different with food. Keep doing what you love!
Health through Creativity,
Alex
I want to make a particular recipe I found on your blog, and probably will, but as a blogger I wanted to let you know (in case there is anything you can do with your website design) that recent web trends I’m seeing are not appealing to a number of people (on actual computer screens – not talking about on a phone), but most won’t bother to say anything and just click away.
But you seem nice, so here’s some specific suggestions. I’m sorry if this comes off as harsh, it’s not meant to be, just trying to be helpful in a fairly concise way. If I was giving you this advice professionally it would cost you, but today you happened to be my “last straw” in the visual overload arena, so I felt like taking the time.
HUGE images (and oversized fonts) can be very “in your face”, extremely distracting/off-putting – I have to “page down” just to get past one (1) of the – I rarely look at them anyway unless they are of the recipe, but the others are irrelevant. This is a website, not a coffee table book. Efficiency and limited distractions in a busy world is highly desireable and less visually stressful. Try:
1. not so much white space (eg,: MORE than 1/3 of THIS page is white space), and decrease line spacing so it doesn’t look like a school report meeting an obligatory number of pages without having to actually use a lot of words,
2. no preliminary discussion about why I will love it (I’m here, so obviously don’t need to be sold), I just want the recipe,
3. have 1 or 2 nice pictures of the dish (SMALLER than the written recipe),
4. put recipe up near the TOP (I don’t want a table of contents or yet ANOTHER link), otherwise I feel like I’m being played, to some degree,
5. if there is useful related information, keep it brief,
6. if monetization is part of the design, make ads limited, MODESTLY sized (read “MUCH smaller”), carefully placed, and relevant (however much of that is under your control) or most people just scroll past them quickly.
I suspect you only have so many templates available to you when you design your page, but you should be able to change it rectroactively, and should.
Good luck.
I first found your Beef Jerky recipe or was it the chicken Wings the best so if I’m searching for a way to cook sumpin an I see GIMME SUM OVEN, I’m there and haven’t been disappointed yet.
Thanks for your little corner of the net. GB
Your great.
I’ve made pumpkin roll and hated the mess it made. Since I found your recipe and how you roll them up I’ve made several in the past month. Now I’m loving to make them and absolutely no mess. Thankful I stumbled onto your recipes. Thank you so so very much. Sue
PS- you have a beautiful family.
Greetings!
My name is Marissa, and I’m a stepmom (prefer the term bonus mom tho lol) and wife, and I habe to say since discovering your website, have been making our family very happy with your wonderful recipies!
My kitchen aid from the dark ages and although it’s given me years of reliable service, its gotten me to thinking….one of these days…….:( I
I saw your beautiful mixer in the background in that gorgeous photo of you in your kitchen, and was curious, is that your favorite mixer to date that you’ve had? Since you are overseas I bet you’ve tried some pretty amazing ones, any suggestions? If you’ve already mentioned this somewhere on your website I sincerely apologize.
Hope all is well with you and your little family!!!!
Most respectfully,
Marissa Smith
Dear Ali,
I just love your blog! It’s one of my absolute favorites! I’m going to use your mash potato recipe this Thanksgiving. Your Jumbalaya was one of the best dishes I have ever made! And I love how you adapt recipes for your vegan/vegetarian friends as I have a vegetarian daughter and your plant based recipes are every bit as terrific! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sending you warm holiday wishes from Michigan!
Kind Regards,
Gianna.
Hi Ali,
I love your site. Any chance you have a recipe for a vegan cheese that tastes like real cheese for a lasagna? Thanks.
Michael Hehir
Ali, I have used many of your recipes and enjoy your blog and your non-cloying way of expressing yourself (“Perfect Mommy” Bloggers, take note). Today, however, I read about you for the first time and discovered that you live in Barcelona… figures… Alicante, right here :)) I am going to make this pecan pie, which I miss over here, for Christmas. Thank you for your hard work, insight and style. Fins aviat!
Hi Ali,
I found your vegan Pho recipe today and was so excited to make it, I had all the spices delivered so I could cook up a batch after work. Needless to say it turned out absolutely wonderful and I followed the recipe as written.
I love Pho but wanted to keep it vegetarian and this recipe did the trick. Now I can whip up a batch to save for meals during the week and I know my family and friends are really going to love this recipe.
Thank you for creating such a wonderful recipe for us to use and enjoy!
Love your bog and recipes.
I have been following your blog for many years! Every recipe you write has so much care and eye for detail. I feel like if we were to meet we would be great friends lol. Just wanted to say thank you for your beautiful contribution to my families yummiest meals. May God bless you and your family <3
Just discovered your blog and recipes. Love your photos and suggestions for the Italy trip. I will keep watching your site.
I’ve been looking over your recipes — today I’m making sushi — and am very pleased with your skill at keeping them inviting and simple and delicious. Great writing style! Your focus is clearly on the food rather than on yourself. I’ve referred your column to my four adult kids. They, too, are impressed. Have you published a cookbook? If not, why not?
Look forward to receiving your recipes
Hi Ali
I would just like to thank you for this very enjoyable site. I love your style, nice and informative whilst still being light and easy to read. We visited Barcelona a couple of years ago and fell in love with the place, such a vibrant city.
So thank you for an enjoyable lunchtime read, you should do a few bits about Barcelona and the markets etc.
Hope you are all keeping well and makng as much of that beautiful city as you can.
Ian
Just found the Barcelona travel guide! Brings back great memories, enjoy your travelling guys!
Hi Ali – I really love your recipes, but I don’t use them as often as I would if I could figure out how to just print out ingredients and instructions on one page. I love to read through all your helpful hints, but after that I want to leave my office and go to the kitchen with one piece of paper that reminds me of all the ingredients and steps. I can’t figure out how, what am I missing? Best wishes, Judi
Hi Ali! I just made your scalloped potatoes. I braved using my mandolin for the first time – so easy, and added a pinch of nutmeg. In the oven to then cool and take to my dad for dinner tomorrow thanks for the tip they’re good to reheat up to three days. Great to discover your blog!
Elvira (Toronto, Canada)
Have only recently your site. I live in Brisbane , Australia and love trying new recipes that deliver lots of flavour,and only require minimal effort.
Made the prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts with sage sauce. Just delicious.
I love saltimbocca , however it is extremely difficult to fine “real” veal here.
Making the chicken again tonight as it was such a hit.
I will be following gimme me some oven on a regular basis.
Hi Ali! I found my way to your site this morning via your crouton recipe. I think I’ll enjoy reading your travel posts but I must say, your approach to food & eating is the real inspiration for me to stay and visit often. Cheers!
You are my absolute favorite. your recipes are my go They are simple and amazing. Thanks for doing what you do.
Can I have your meatball receipe spaghetti sauce too? Thank You!
Ali –
Made your homemade fried rice. Very pleased with the results.I used rice leftover from Chinese takeout with a mass of fresh veggies from the Farmers Market, including Fresh (looks a lot like a big green onion but definitely tastes of garlic) and tiny pattypan squash and mini zucchini. Also cabbage and bean sprouts. Didn’t have oyster sauce and didn’t want to run all over town looking for it. Thanks for all the tips. I never tried fried rice before!
Looking forward to your recipes
I just made your skinny Alfredo sauce and it was spectacular! It was flavorful yet didn’t leave us feeling stuffed and on the brink of indigestion as the heavier cream based sauces do. Can I make a batch of sauce and freeze it for later use? Thx.
Hey Ali,
I believe we have a mutual friend in KC. I won’t post his last name, but Kevan G has been a life long friend.
Wonderful! I used gluten free noodles and I let them sit for about an hour to soften them because it’s like eating rocks if you don’t! Haha! This will be a staple dish for many lovely days ahead! Thank you so much Ali!
Please add me to your email list.
Thanks!
Hey Ali!
I’m loving your egg drop soup recipe! I’m currently making my third egg drop soup this weekend and I’m in love with it thanks to you! Hope you’re having a good time in Barcelona.
Love,
Alif.
Hi Ali!
Thanks for posting the recipe, easy and tasty! I’m also a musician, I play 12 instruments. What do you play?