Harried home cooks find app aides in this week's new releases

(Apple)

For the home cook who wants a mindless menu, a fruity cocktail to go with kingfish enchilada, or has no more than three items in the pantry, one of these apps may come to the rescue. Here is a selection of this week's new food app releases.

Cocktail Bible
For the aspiring mixologist, the Cocktail Bible is a digital archive of thousands of classic and modern drink recipes that include martinis, tropical cocktails and even advice on correct glassware. Users must be at least 17 years old to download the app.

$2.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cocktail-bible/id437180209?mt=8

Mexican Cooking Pro
This app promises authentic Mexican recipes that don't come with artificial cheese sauce. Recipes include grilled tuna with pineapple salsa, kingfish enchiladas, and Gulf Coast guacamole. Recipes can be shared on Facebook and it also has a shopping list feature.

$1.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mexican-cooking-pro/id438638866?mt=8

Dish SOS
For the minimalist chef who cooks and eats in threes. Dish SOS offers quick easy recipes based on three pantry ingredients, an app ideally suited for busy moms or novice cooks, the developer says. The app also features a shopping list and food timer. Recipes include meals like Spinach and Potato Soup, Chicken Legs in Red Wine, and Curry Vegetable Patties, with vegan, vegetarian, carb-free and kosher options.

$1.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dish-sos/id438094560?mt=8

Asian Market Shopper
Developed by Asian culinary expert Andrea Nguyen, a freelancer for the Los Angeles Times and a contributing editor for Saveur magazine, this app demystifies exotic Asian ingredients like tamarind and offers recipes with photos and how-to videos. Each ingredient also comes with an audio pronunciation so you can ask for it intelligibly at your local Asian market. Recipes include dishes like kimchi fried rice, miso soup, Kung Pao chicken and spicy, stir-fried crab.

$3.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/asian-market-shopper/id436479081?mt=8

Random Chef
The most popular sentence heard the world over every day, is "What's for dinner?" The Random Chef app allows home cooks to leave the answer up to the whim of their iPhone or iPod, as it will automatically choose a week's worth of recipes for you and creates a shopping list as well. Recipes include chorizo pasta, spaghetti Bolognese, and pasta bakes.

$0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/random-chef/id438618418?mt=8