I’ve mentioned on here many times, I really stink at getting an entire meal on the table. I can usually handle making the main dish and then I just scramble to throw a salad together and call it a meal. So when Cooking Planit told me about their app, it was like they had made it with me in mind!

The app, available for the iPhone and iPad (android coming soon) can also be accessed online. Your usage is synced up through your login, so you can browse on your computer, iPhone, and iPad seamlessly. (The app is currently on sale for $0.99 for iPhone and $1.99 for iPad)

The overall goal of Cooking Planit is to get a meal, sides included, on the table at the same time. The app includes tons of recipes that come already packaged as meals, but you can also mix and match to suit your tastes.

Once you choose your recipes/meal, you can add it to “My Cookbook” to store for future use. When you’re ready to go food shopping, just add the meal to your grocery list. The app gives you the option of planning for 2, 4, or 6 servings which I absolutely love! The grocery list can be viewed as a list by aisle (produce, dairy & eggs, canned goods, etc.), images (in case you have no idea what a leek looks like), or by recipe so you can see what you need for which recipe. Once you find and purchase your ingredients, just check them off and remove them from the list.

When you’re ready to get cooking, just bring up the recipe and click get started. The app will walk you through the meal, step by step, so that all parts of the recipe will finish at or around the same time. The app even shows you which cooking equipment, kitchen supplies, and appliances you need to make your meal, almost foolproof! It also lets you know how long it will take to make from start to finish. I liked being able to browse the recipes online at work, get the grocery list up on my phone at the supermarket, and then use my laptop at home to view the directions while I cooked. Super easy! The iPhone/iPad app also has voice control, so if you’re elbow deep in cooking, you can give voice commands like “Move On” or “Go Back.”  When parts of the recipe need a timer, automatic timers show up at the top of the screen for you. The app will also tell you when to slow down so that all parts of the recipe finish at the same time.

So I decided to try it out and give the results below! I (of course) messed with the recipe slightly so my version is below. I chose “Sunday Supper”  but changed it to Baby Back Ribs instead of Short Ribs and used my slow cooker instead of the oven.

Ingredients (serves 2):

Braised Baby Back Ribs

• 1 carrot, large
• 1 celery stalk, large
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 yellow onion, small
• 2 lbs baby back ribs
• 2 cups beef stock, low sodium
• 1.5 oz tomato paste
• pepper, to taste
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1.5 tablespoons flour
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon

Creamy Polenta

• 1 tablespoon green onions
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons butter, unsalted
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup polenta (yellow cornmeal)
• 2 cups chicken stock, low sodium
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Brussels Sprouts & Pancetta

• 3/4 lbs Brussels sprouts
• 1 small shallot
• 3 slices Pancetta
• 2 teaspoons butter, unsalted
• 2/3 cup chicken stock, low sodium
• pepper, to taste
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

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