diff --git a/app/actions/recipe_action.ts b/app/actions/recipe_action.ts
index 76ef63f..bb0df46 100644
--- a/app/actions/recipe_action.ts
+++ b/app/actions/recipe_action.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,15 @@ interface RecipeResponse {
 
 export default async function RecipeAction(props: RecipeActionProps): Promise<RecipeResponse> {
     try {
+        console.log("Initiating recipe generation with props:", props);
         const { data } = await axios.post<RecipeResponse>(
             "/api/recipe", 
             props
         );
 
+        console.log("try to save recipe to DB with convoID:", data.id);
+        ensureRecipeSaved(data.id!);
+
         return data;
 
     } catch (err) {
@@ -36,4 +40,39 @@ export default async function RecipeAction(props: RecipeActionProps): Promise<Re
             error: "Failed to connect to the server" 
         };
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+
+async function ensureRecipeSaved(convoID: string) {
+    const maxRetries = 5;
+    const retryDelay = 2000; // 2 seconds
+    
+    let attempts = 0;
+
+    async function run() {
+        try {
+            const response = await axios.put("/api/recipe", { convoID });
+            
+            if (response.data.success) {
+                console.log(`✅ Recipe with convoID ${convoID} successfully saved to DB.`);
+                return;
+            } else {
+                console.warn(`⚠️ Attempt ${attempts + 1}: Server responded with an error: ${response.data.error}`);
+            }
+        } catch (err) {
+            if (axios.isAxiosError(err)) {
+                console.warn(`⚠️ Attempt ${attempts + 1}: Failed to save recipe with convoID ${convoID}. Error: ${err.message}`);
+            } else {
+                console.warn(`⚠️ Attempt ${attempts + 1}: An unexpected error occurred while saving recipe with convoID ${convoID}.`);
+            }
+        }
+
+        attempts++;
+        if (attempts < maxRetries) {
+            setTimeout(run, retryDelay);
+        } else {
+            console.error(`❌ Failed to save recipe with convoID ${convoID} after ${maxRetries} attempts.`);
+        }
+    }
+    run();
+}
diff --git a/app/actions/retrieve_recipe_action.ts b/app/actions/retrieve_recipe_action.ts
index 7b69625..e3d9bc4 100644
--- a/app/actions/retrieve_recipe_action.ts
+++ b/app/actions/retrieve_recipe_action.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
+import { getCookie } from "../lib/cookies";
+import { HistoryItemData } from "../lib/definitions";
 import { getUserID } from "../lib/helpers";
 import { getSeshHistory } from "../lib/session";
 
@@ -23,9 +25,21 @@ export default async function ConvoDetails( {id}: {id: string} ) {
     const convoHistories = fullHistory.filter((convo) => convo.id === id);
 
     if (!convoHistories.length) {
+        // return the local recipe if it exists, otherwise return an error
+        const localRecipe = await getCookie(id);
+        if (localRecipe) {
+            return {
+                success: true,
+                data: {
+                    ...localRecipe?.recipe,
+                    imgSrc: localRecipe?.imgSrc || null,
+                } as HistoryItemData
+            }
+        }
+
         return {
             success: false,
-            error: "No conversation found with that ID",
+            error: "No recipe found with that ID",
         }
     }
 
@@ -33,5 +47,4 @@ export default async function ConvoDetails( {id}: {id: string} ) {
         success: true,
         data: convoHistories[0].data,
     }
-
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/api/recipe/route.ts b/app/api/recipe/route.ts
index c2c3776..0392606 100644
--- a/app/api/recipe/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/recipe/route.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { cleanJSON, getCachedImage, getUserID } from "@/lib/helpers";
 import { randomUUID } from "crypto";
 import { addSeshHistory } from "@/lib/session";
 import { imageURLFromID } from "@/lib/utils";
-import { waitUntil } from '@vercel/functions';
+import { deleteCookie, getCookie, saveAsCookie } from "@/app/lib/cookies";
 
 
 export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
@@ -15,30 +15,30 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
     const imgSrc = imgID ? imageURLFromID(imgID) : null;
 
     const prevGenerated = { mealName, ingredients };
+    console.log(`Received request for ${convoID} with meal: ${mealName} and image: ${imgSrc}`);
 
-    waitUntil(
-        (async () => {
-            try {
-                const [userID, chatHistory] = await Promise.all([
-                    getUserID(),
-                    convoHistory(imgSrc, JSON.stringify(prevGenerated))
-                ]);
+    try {
+        const chatHistory = await convoHistory(imgSrc, JSON.stringify(prevGenerated));
+        console.log("got convo history")
 
-                // Call AI
-                const ai_response = await getRecipe(details, chatHistory);
-                const recipe = cleanJSON(ai_response);
+        // Call AI
+        const ai_response = await getRecipe(details, chatHistory);
+        const recipe = cleanJSON(ai_response);
+        console.log("got recipe from AI")
 
-                // Save to Database
-                await addSeshHistory(userID, convoID, recipe, imgSrc);
+        // Save temporarily
+        await saveAsCookie(
+            convoID, {
+                recipe,
+                imgSrc,
+            });
 
-                console.log(`✅ Successfully generated and saved recipe for ${convoID}`);
+        console.log(`✅ Successfully generated and saved recipe for ${convoID}`);
 
-            } catch (bgError) {
-                // Wont reach FE
-                console.error(`❌ Background processing failed for ${convoID}:`, bgError);
-            }
-        })()
-    );
+    } catch (bgError) {
+        // Wont reach FE
+        console.error(`❌ Background processing failed for ${convoID}:`, bgError);
+    }
 
     return NextResponse.json({ 
         success: true, 
@@ -47,6 +47,33 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
 }
 
 
+// USE A PUT to save the session to DB
+export async function PUT(req: NextRequest) {
+    const body = await req.json();
+    const { convoID } = body;
+
+    try {
+        const [userID, storedData] = await Promise.all([
+            getUserID(),
+            getCookie(convoID)
+        ]);
+
+        if (!storedData) { // it has already been saved / issue, return moved
+            return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: "No session data found" }, { status: 302 });
+        }
+
+        await addSeshHistory(userID, convoID, storedData.recipe, storedData.imgSrc);
+        console.log(`✅ Successfully added ${convoID} to DB`);
+        
+        deleteCookie(convoID); // clean up the cookie after saving to DB
+
+        return NextResponse.json({ success: true }, { status: 200 });
+
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error(`❌ Failed to add ${convoID} to DB:`, err);
+        return NextResponse.json({ success: false, error: "Failed to save session" }, { status: 500 });
+    }
+}
 
 
 
diff --git a/app/lib/cookies.ts b/app/lib/cookies.ts
index ed3a565..038f1d1 100644
--- a/app/lib/cookies.ts
+++ b/app/lib/cookies.ts
@@ -3,20 +3,43 @@
 import { UUID } from "crypto";
 import { cookies } from "next/headers";
 
+
+export async function getCookie(key: string) {
+  const cookieJar = await cookies();
+  const cookie  = cookieJar.get(key);
+
+  return cookie? JSON.parse(cookie.value) : null
+}
+
+
 export async function setCookies(data: {userID: UUID}) {
 
   const cookieJar = await cookies();
   cookieJar.set("session_data", JSON.stringify(data), {
     httpOnly: true,
     secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === "production",
-    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24, // 1 day
+    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, // 1 week
     path: "/",
   });
 }
 
-export async function getCookies(){
-  const cookieJar = await cookies();
-  const cookie  = cookieJar.get("session_data");
+export async function getSessionCookies(){
+  const sessionData  = await getCookie("session_data");
+  return sessionData || {};
+}
 
-  return cookie? JSON.parse(cookie.value) : {}
+export async function saveAsCookie(key: string, data: Record<string, unknown>) {
+  const cookieJar = await cookies();
+  cookieJar.set(key, JSON.stringify(data), {
+    httpOnly: true,
+    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === "production",
+    maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24, // 1 day
+    path: "/",
+  });
 }
+
+
+export async function deleteCookie(key: string) {
+  const cookieJar = await cookies();
+  cookieJar.delete(key);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/lib/helpers.ts b/app/lib/helpers.ts
index 9a4a76d..81fe1b9 100644
--- a/app/lib/helpers.ts
+++ b/app/lib/helpers.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { randomUUID } from "crypto";
-import { getCookies, setCookies } from "./cookies";
+import { getSessionCookies, setCookies } from "./cookies";
 import { cache } from "react";
 
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export function cleanJSON(content: string) {
 
 export async function getUserID(){
     // Retrieve or set session cookie
-    const cookies = await getCookies();
+    const cookies = await getSessionCookies();
     let userID;
 
     if (cookies.userID) {
diff --git a/app/lib/recipe.js b/app/lib/recipe.js
index 1c62a65..50c11cf 100644
--- a/app/lib/recipe.js
+++ b/app/lib/recipe.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const ai = new GoogleGenAI({
 });
 
 export async function getRecipe(description, history) {
-  const model = 'gemini-2.5-pro';
+  const model = 'gemini-3.1-pro-preview';
 
   // Create the chat session
   const chat = ai.chats.create({
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ export async function getRecipe(description, history) {
     type Step: {description, duration, price?} # price only when necessary (e.g., if a budget was mentioned)
     
     Requirements:
-    1. Use Google Search to find special ingredients and current, accurate prices.
-    2. Respond strictly in the format: { "mealName": "name", "ingredients": Array<Ingredient>, "recipe": Array<Step> }`;
+    . Respond strictly in the format: { "mealName": "name", "ingredients": Array<Ingredient>, "recipe": Array<Step> }`;
 
     // Using stream for better UX, or you can use chat.sendMessage for a single block
     const result = await chat.sendMessage({ message: prompt });