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
I love reading about your life Ali, with Barclay and the puppies.
And being vegetarian also, I appreciate those recipes very much. Thank you.
When you were the musician, what instrument did you play?
That is so nice to make music.
Tisa ??????
Hi, I’ve seen your fried rice recipe surging through the net and let me tell you … I’m so happy that I finaly found the best one that taste exactly like the original..thx so much!!!
Tina ❤??
I love good food and normally taylor recipes to suit our taste as we tend like like a bit more flavour than most recipes provide. I however don’t make the best eastern food. I made your stir fried rice and they absolutely love it! No add-on’s – it was perfect as is. I am definitely going to try some of your other recipes. Thank you!
Made your Moo Shu recipe with chicken! Omg it was a hit and very simple to understand! Packed full of Asian flavors . we ate it all… thanks for sharing!
Love your blog. I’m a closet 3 star Michelin chef living in the gastronomic capital of the world, Paris. If you and your hubby pop over here after this Covid BS is over, please connect with me. My wife, Cherie, is a brilliant luxury travel designer and like me would love to meet you. I’m a prolific actor/writer/producer with my own Film, Theater and TV company. I grew up in London, fortunate enough to have The Beatles producer, Sir George Martin as my father. I’ve met practically every famous person under the sun from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, Steve Winwood being one of my favorites. Your blog title is brilliant. Stay strong and keep the faith. Gregory Paul Martin — www.gregorypaulmartin.com.
I tried it and it tasted wonderful! And cute doggy ☺❤
I have a question for you about a recipe you posted. I’m wanting to make little snack treats for a wedding party.
The recipe is called “Candied Pecan Chex Mix” – the ingredients are listed, but when you click the link for the instructions, the link is NOT THERE. I’m curious about the order in which to do the nuts and chex mix – very familiar with them individually.
Please let me know how to find the instructions.
Thank you very much.
Theresa
Thank you on so many levels.
Wishing you all the best.
Your recipes sound good and one is on the book for today, but I really wish you included the nutritional information! I am tracking macros and need to make choices
Love your blog. I will be making your pecan pie recipe tomorrow for our Canadian thanksgiving, with maple syrup of course!
Love summer salads and stocking up on them before the cooler temps hit Atlanta. Never thought of putting strawberries, red onion, avocado and gorgonzola together but the salad was brilliant! Looking forward to following you in food and in blog :)
Thank you!
I just found your website. I am divorced man living alone in this crazy pandemic world and have started picking up on my baking and cooking skills. Your website is wonderful and has been super helpful. Thank you for sharing all of these recipes and tips.
In your best chicken enchilada recipe……do I buy a can of red enchilada sauce to add to the rest of the ingredients? Otherwise, it doesn’t look like there is enough liquid. But nowhere in the recipe does it describe how much sauce to add.
I just stumbled across your website upon a recommendation from a coworker. Your wild rice soup is currently in my Instant Pot. I am plant based and I look forward to trying more of your recipes! I’m not sure if you have a print cookbook. I’ll be looking for it. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Michelle from Michigan, USA
Slow cooker chicken carnitas…
If i just cook chicken in crockpot, then eat tomorrow…do I keep chicken breast whole and package it in a container with the juices, then shred tomorrow??
Slow cooker chicken carnitas…they are in the crockpot now. Change of plans for dinner tonight. Do I leave them whole, in juice, and package up for tomorrow. Tomorrow, shred, then broil?? OR…do I shred tonight, leave in juices, refrigerate, then broil tomorrow??
Thanks for sharing Ali! As i write this i am waiting on my instant pot to hurry up and finish my butternut squash soup!
Tonight I am going to try your beef stroganoff. I love to cook new meals and this is a first for me, so I look forward to many more of your thirty minute meals due to my getting off work at 5:30 I don’t want to come home cooking a long meal for my husband and daughter. Wish me luck.
Hi, with your recipe of shredded brussel sprouts and. Apple salad, can i use frozen but thawed sprouts.
Thanks, Ali for your recipe. I’d love to try gazpacho. It’s funny how I can over here to your site. I was thinking of food that starts with the first letter of my name and this immediately came to my mind. Honestly, I don’t know what this good is. Reading it interests me. And, especially more interested when I learned you’ve got more vegetation recipes because I want to be partially vegetarian, if there is such a thing. Lol. Thanks. I think I would love this cold vegetable soup.
Hello Ali! I love your recipes; your instructions are always so clear. I know you are from Kansas which I haven’t been to for many years; I am originally from Fayetteville, AR. My congratulations to the two of you on your pregnancy. This is fantastic news and may God continue to bless you all.
Dear Ali,
You are wonderful! Thank you for the wonderful recipes! And your cute dogs!
– From NC
I’m always searching for new recipes, especially on Pinterest. I saved a few of your recipes here and there. Then I started teasing out the recipes I wasn’t thrilled about and I started realizing I hadn’t come across a single recipes of yours that wasn’t fantastic. Simple ingredients, seasonal, punch of flavor, and on the healthier side. Your food has soul.
I’ve begun turning to your blog more and more and am always thrilled at what I find. Keep doing what you’re doing!
I enjoy your many recipes, but I would like to know if you can include the nutrition info. Calories and carb counts are critical to my health and I imagine others would also benefit from this information on each recipe. Thanks.
I’d like to make your baked pork chops for a crowd. 24 people. Additionally I will need to wrap them in foil and transport them 20-30 minutes. Any recommendations?
Hi I was just checking out your Chicken and wild rice soup. I was wondering if you ever tried freezing some and if it worked?
The chicken breast recipe is great. Will this also work on a bone less turkey breast using the smoked paprika?
Thanks so much for your Jambalaya recipe. I plan to make it in the next couple of weeks. My birthday is tomorrow when I will be 88 years old. I love to cook. When I retired in 1995 I decided to try new recipes so I’ve made new dishes along with the old favorites I’ve made for a long time ever since. I keep a list of the new recipes along with the date I made them and where I can find the recipe again. So far I’ve made 484 new recipes. Trying new things keeps me young. Thanks, again, for the Jambalaya recipe.
My hubby loved the fried rice I made from your inspirational recipe. I tailored it to what I had on hand as you suggested. Thank you for your site! I would definitely buy your cookbook! Happy Thanksgiving ?
Hi Ali,
one more time with feeling. Love your recipes and look forward to seeing what you have that is new and different. Lots of luck to you and Barclay (or is that a dog?). Happy Holidays, Tracy
Hi Ali. I came across your blog about a month ago and made your beef stew. I am back to make it again. I had more time to cruise around your blog. Omg. I love you. And your little family. My husband and I are also animal lovers and dog lovers. I watched your video. Very sweet. Are you back In the States? Anyway, I make your beef stew in my instant pot set on the slow cooker. I did this last time also. My goodness! This beef stew is very flavorful. I highly recommend others to please give this a try. And a big plus that you have vegetarian recipes. We eat meat, more chicken and turkey. We eat beef about 1-2 times a week. I had stopped eating beef not too long ago for 8 years. Now I back but very little. I can adjust to vegetarian meals easily. My husband I think could, but slowly. Anyway, nice to meet you and you adorable little family
Glad I stumbled across these recipes. Such great and easy ideas thank you for sharing with us.
Hello,
Thank you so much for the recipes that you share. Found easy dinner rolls for Thanksgiving and they were great! I am wondering if you include nutritional data of your recipes? I looked around quickly and did not come upon them. I scan the recipes and have an idea of ingredients’ nutritional value, and think that info summed up at the end of a recipe is a really great customer/reader tool when I am making decisions. Your blog is so easy to use and give thanks to you for all you do.
Thanks again and stay safe.
Ali,
I like the way you write about food. I’ll give this recipe a try (minus the egg yolks, unfortunately).
You wrote that you were a full-time musician. What kind of music did you play or sing?
Ali – my daughter, Dara of Cookin’ Canuck, told me about Barclay and you. So I watched his concert – loved the mellow voice and his engaging personality. Then I sent a contribution to your Mali project. Then I visited your blog. Excellent all round. Talk about hooked!
My wife and I are long ago retired. We live in Victoria now but experienced what you are enjoying in Spain when we were your age. Except we did it in SE Asia back when the Vietnam War was raging. A life altering experience, living in a different culture, subjecting yourself to lessons you would never have been taught at home. You grow up fast!
Good luck with your expanding family (literally and figuratively!). And best wishes for your ongoing efforts in Mali. The planet could seriously benefit from more people like you two.
Loved the Barbacoa! So delicious. Will definitely try other recipes of yours. Enjoy your time in Spain!
Hi Ali,
I made your recipe for bourbon cherries. I’m curious:
1. Do they need to be refridgerated?
2. What is the shelf life/expiration date?
Looking forward to trying them out next week.
Thank you,
Don S.
I love your recipes! Are you considering a cookbook in your future? I would love to own one.
Thank you.
Julie Rohr
I am going to make your choc chip cookie dough today and maybe bake tomorrow; will it hurt the recipe at all if I add chopped walnuts?
The best chicken enchiladas EVER! are seriously tasty.
This is my first time to your site. I love the recipe!! If you have time I’d like to know if you are still in Spain and how you like it? Sounds amazing.
Hey Ali,
I saw your cider recipe and will be trying it tomorrow. I was born in Canada but have been living and working in Mexico the past 30 years with my wife Ali! I play clarinet in the Mexico City Philharmonic but love to cook. Well I don´t actually love cooking- I love eating, but I can´t afford the kind of food I´d like to eat from a restaurant. Looking to trying more of your recipes! Hasta luego.
Love your site
Am going to try the whole fish tomorrow and then maybe do it for my Boxing Day late lunch
I’m in Sydney
Think the Greek Salad is a perfect accompaniment
Will let you know how it works out
Stay Safe
And once again thanks
Suzie
Love the scalloped potatoes with all the variables! I look forward to trying more of your recipes. I’m working my way back to the expat thing as soon as I am able! So good on you guys! Stay healthy through this crazy pandemic! Happy New Year and thank you for the recipes! Peace and prosperity! Brenna
My last comment ~as I sent it I saw the email wasn’t correct!
Hi Ali,
All the best to you and your husband and your two pups! My husband and I have been married for 49 years and we love to cook from our Italian and Hungarian backgrounds.
I came across your recipe by asking my phone for an easy and quick boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe. I’m preparing it now for our New Year’s Eve dinner at home. We’ve been staying home more because of covid! I’ll have to update my comments on how it turns out. Happy, Healthy New Year to you and your husband and your fur babies! ??
Nancy
I love the baked pork chop recipe, thank you! I am going to make them for guests next weekend. I noticed I can make them ahead of time, which is awesome. .I would rather not have the kitchen smoky when they arrive!
How do I reheat them so that they are as good and they don’t dry out?
Your dogs are adorable & look so devoted to you!!
Just tried out your green sauce for enchiladas–wow, very nice recipe! I used an immersion blender and it worked just fine. I skipped the salt–figuring there will be plenty from the rotisserie chicken we’re using for the enchiladas along with the Monterey Jack cheese–but the flavor of the sauce was still excellent! Thanks for sharing it and Best Wishes in 2021!
–JR
I made your fresh pasta dough recipe recently using 00 and semolina 50/50. Worked like a charm with great results. Thank you!
Congratulations on your marriage and move to Spain. Enjoy it!
Hi Ali, I received your Easy Breakfast Casserole from my sister-in-law who made it for one of our family gatherings and it was delicious! I would like to make it and share via a couple of photos I will take during prep time and of the finished product with a group I meet with monthly. We normally share an in-person breakfast meeting but of course we are virtual on Zoom due to the pandemic. To liven up our “breakfast meetings” we though it would be fun to share some breakfast ideas. I want to be sure I have your permission to share your recipe and of course I will give you the credit and share your gimmesomeoven.com website as well.
Our Breakfast is coming up quickly on Jan 27 and I would like to share the recipe ahead of time in case anyone would like to make it at home for the day of the meeting. Is this OK with you? Thank you so much! Happy New Year!