Online/phone/laptop cookbook app?

[LoneRanger]

Have been calling my own shots since wife died in 2012. Getting tired of what I call Modular Meals for supper-- I grill or bake a piece of meat/fish/poultry with seasonings sprinkled on, steam a veg, and add some carb source either bread, pasta. I am looking to start cooking some recipes this year instead of these bachelor short cuts I've been eating. They are nutritious, taste okay but boring, and I am fit and healthy (52 yrs old), but from a culinary perspective it's getting old and I'm really tiring of it. Too often my meals are just about checking nutritional boxes, protein, carb balance etc. Same old same-o at the grocery each week.

I'd like to find an app that suggests entrees and sides that are creations but not overly complex to make. Ideally it will generate a shopping list after the user sets up some meals in the app for the upcoming week. Something like that. Is there such a thing?

P.S. In a relationship with a beautiful woman since last Spring, and also want to show her I can cook more than just a slab of protein, a pile of veggies and bread & butter or a potato.

 

[WellOiled]

Treat yourself to an Americas Test Kitchen subscription. All their recipes are tested and they tell you the science behind it. They also test cookware.

Beware they do like to advertise

 

[itguy08]

We are in the same rut - same things each week - pork, chicken, red meat, fish. Rinse and repeat.

We've had good luck with the Yummly app on the iPhones and their website (www.yummly.com). We pick stuff that's easy to make and they generally have the nutrition information printed there too. If nothing else the imagery there is foodporn.

I think it will do a shopping list but from what I remember it was "dumb" - i.e. it added the ingredients to a list so you'd end up with a shopping list of "1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup milk".

 

[Drew99GT]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.allrecipes.spinner.free&hl=en

I'd suggest doing some casserole/slow cooker/hearty soup type recipes because you can get several meals out of them and they usually are tastier than the meat/veg/starch routine.

Also, try and learn how to make sauces; it really spices up the blandness of a piece of whatever meat. Some sauce ideas:

http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/04/baked-chicken-breast-recipe/

I used to have a link that had about 20 pan sauces for sauteed meat but I can't find it.

 

[Drew99GT]

http://homecooking.about.com/od/chickenrecipes/r/blchicken30.htm

There it is; once you get the idea of how to do a quick pan sauce, the combinations are limitless.

 

[sleddriver]

I'd suggest signing up for a 30-day free trial on-line subscription of either Cook's Illustrated or Cook's Country. This will give you the chance to search around for what appeals to you.

You can also probably find their cookbooks in a local library. They have one that's sized as meals for two. Another with quick, weeknight meals.

You can also search Williams-Sonoma recipes for free.