Hi! I’m Ali, and I am so happy that you found your way here.
I created Gimme Some Oven to celebrate life around the table, with recipes that are simple, fresh, and full of flavor. With two littles underfoot these days, I know how relentless the dinner grind can feel. My hope is that this space can offer a bit of inspiration for everyone — and make everyday cooking feel a bit more fun.
So whether you’re throwing together a quick weeknight dinner, hosting a cozy brunch with friends, or just craving a warm batch of cookies, I hope you’ll find recipes here that feel doable and delicious.
Cheers!
About Ali
About Me
When I began Gimme Some Oven back in 2009, I was working full-time as a musician by day and spending my evenings cooking, photographing, and sharing recipes just for fun. Over time, that creative outlet grew into a full-time career — and for more than a decade now, I’ve had the absolute joy of writing and developing recipes here on Gimme Some Oven.
Even after all these years, it still feels like magic to create a recipe in my kitchen and see it come to life on tables all around the world! Your trust in my recipes means the world to me, and I work hard to make sure each one is thoughtfully developed, thoroughly tested, and truly worth making — the kind of recipe you’ll want to return to again and again.
Beyond the blog, my husband and I are now settling back into life in Kansas City with our two young boys after spending six wonderful years living in Barcelona. My favorite things include sunny days, an excellent plate of nachos, lingering around tables with good friends, and always dreaming up our next adventure. I occasionally share more about life behind the scenes here if you’d like to follow along.
About Gimme Some Oven
So what kinds of recipes will you find here?
Short answer: a bit of everything.
The recipes I share here are the ones we’re actually making and eating in our home. My husband is pescetarian, our boys are still a bit veggie-suspicious, and I enjoy a wide range of foods — so our meals reflect that mix. We do our best to cook seasonally, and most weeknights are all about quick, flavorful recipes that come together in 30 minutes or less. But I also love slowing down on the weekends with a cozy cup of coffee and baking our favorite 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls, or inviting friends over for a big pot of chili with homemade guac and margaritas.
You’ll notice here that we’ve got a soft spot for Mexican food, big bowls of soup, noodles in all forms, and cookies of just about every variety. While most of my recipes lean fresh and lighter, you’ll also find your fair share of fun treats and comfort food favorites — we’re all about balance!
My hope is that you’ll find recipes here that work well for real life, whatever that looks like for you right now. And if there’s ever a recipe you’re craving, I’d love to hear from you!
My Favorite Recipes
FAQs
I can’t take the credit. 😉 The name actually came from my former bandmate, Jay, who tossed it out during a rehearsal years ago when I mentioned I was thinking about starting a food blog. It made us all laugh — and it stuck! Now it feels like a fun little reminder of my past life as a full-time musician.
You bet! Every single one of the 2000+ recipes on this site has been developed and tested in my own kitchen. I now have a team of recipe testers who join me each week to test old and new recipes to help ensure they are as clear, reliable, and delicious as possible. We want each recipe to be the best it can be when it reaches your table!
The best way to ask about substitutions is to leave a comment on that specific recipe post. That way, we’ll be sure to see it, and other readers can benefit from the answer too.
Yes! We’re constantly retesting, updating and rephotographing older recipes to make sure they’re as reliable and delicious as possible. Whenever we make a significant change, we do our best to note it clearly in the recipe notes so that you know what’s been updated.
No. We made the decision back in 2018 to stop publishing sponsored content on Gimme Some Oven. While we were grateful to partner with brands we genuinely loved in the past, it’s important to us that readers know all product mentions are now completely unpaid — just things we personally use and recommend.
This is probably the most-asked question we receive. Sorry, not yet! I keep putting it off, but someday I look forward to finally writing one. 💛
Giving Back
While we love creating and sharing recipes here, we also recognize what a profound privilege it is to have consistent access to fresh food, clean water, and a safe place to gather around the table. Not everyone has that — the statistics are sobering, and they remind us how important it is to keep working toward change.
That’s why we donate a portion of our profits to support three organizations working to fight food insecurity and expand access to nutritious food and clean water around the world. Every time you visit this site, your pageviews directly help support that work too, and we’re so grateful. We’d love for you to learn more about these incredible organizations and consider supporting them in whatever ways you can too.
It’s our hope that this space not only inspires delicious meals, but also plays a small part in supporting communities far beyond our own kitchens.
TWP is a community-led initiative in Mali focused on developing economic opportunities for women through organic food production, access to clean water, and a commitment to environmental stewardship.
Cultivate Kansas City is a locally-grown nonprofit working to grow food, farms, and community in support of an equitable, sustainable and healthy local food system for all.
World Central Kitchen is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.
Thank You for your enthusiasm for sharing recipes. I share your love of cooking .I sometimes make foods with my own twist on a certain dish ,but if I can join your blog I won’t have to do that your recipes have done that for me.
Thank you Ali! I’m old at heart and in person..lol. I found some of your recipes and will be trying them here very shortly. Your articles make me smile…Thanks. Kathy
Hi Ali, I have come across so many recipes from you and I am a huge fan. I love the tips and tricks. I’m so happy I found your site.
I love your column and open every email. But I was all set to try the salted brownie bites – esp for a friend who has diabetes – when I couldn’t find the nutrition information. Could you please add it to the recipe and let me know when you do? Thank you so much. It makes such sense that you’re a musician as well!
Hello Ali,
Thank you for creating and sharing so many fantastic recipes. Whenever I see that you have a new post,
I get a cup of coffee, take a relaxing breath and know that I’m going to be taken away to your kitchen in Barcelona. Your recipes are wonderful and your photos make it personalized. Such enriching reading!
Thank you,
Mary Parshall
We made your chicken enchiladas with your sauce. My husband said the best enchiladas he has ever had. We used to live in a big city with authentic Mexican food so his comment is a great compliment. When I saw 1/4 chili powder I freaked because I can’t do spicy. But I was able to eat without any problems. I can’t wait to continue to follow you for more tasty and quick meals. Thxs
You are very nice, I have been writing from Dubai:)) I have learned so many things from you. I wanted to say “thank you” ❤️🙏❤️ Also I have three boys ❤️
I must say, this will be a first to comment on a blog site but with all due respect you have earned any/all kudos bc the recipes ate phenomenal my family has enjoyed the one pot Mac & Cheese dish and I now have a fan following, lol I can hardly wait to try this Egg Roll Soup I’m certain it will be another hit. God bless you and your family & stay safe.
I am new to using dutch ovens — I have several questions, please?
One — If using an enameled dutch oven, what size is the best for your bread recipe?
Two — Can one use an enameled stainless steel (or aluminum) enameled dutch oven?
Or ONLY cast-iron-type dutch ovens?
Three — I read that one should NOT heat (in oven or on stovetop) an empty dutch
oven or the enamel will crack and then start to flake off. Is this true? So what to do?
Four — Do you always use All-Purpose flour or Bread flour?
Thank you a million times over if you really answer these questions! I am very grateful.
I have had the great pleasure to make a few of your dishes since discovering your blog a couple of years ago. Sometimes I just search ingredients and I am delighted when an option from you pops up. I am now following you on pinterest (yes, I am a late social media bloomer). Anyway, just a quick note here to say “Thanks so much!” You have a positive impact on my efforts in the kitchen.
All the best,
Alastair
Do you have a printed collection of all your recipes?