diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a726254..fcdbad0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 examp_frontend/
 postgres/db
 */.env
+todo
diff --git a/backend/backendServer.js b/backend/backendServer.js
index df45732..2713b8c 100644
--- a/backend/backendServer.js
+++ b/backend/backendServer.js
@@ -21,8 +21,31 @@ app.get("/recipes", async (req, res) => {
 app.get("/recipe/:id", async (req, res) => {
   const id = req.params.id
   try {
-    const recipe = await db('recipes').where('id', '=', id).select('id', 'name', 'cuisine').first();
-    res.json(recipe);
+    const recipeQuery = db('recipes').where('id', '=', id).select('id', 'name', 'cuisine');
+
+    const ingredientsQuery = db.from('recipe_ingredients as ri')
+      .join('ingredients as i', 'ri.ingredient_id', 'i.id')
+      .where('ri.recipe_id', id)
+      .select('i.name', 'ri.quantity', 'ri.unit');
+
+    const stepsQuery = db('recipe_steps').where('recipe_id', id).select('step_number', 'instruction');
+
+    const [recipe, ingredients, steps] = await Promise.all([recipeQuery, ingredientsQuery, stepsQuery]);
+
+    const result = {
+      recipe: recipe[0],
+      ingredients: ingredients.map(ingredient => ({
+        name: ingredient.name,
+        quantity: ingredient.quantity,
+        unit: ingredient.unit
+      })),
+      steps: steps.reduce((acc, step) => {
+        acc[step.step_number] = step.instruction;
+        return acc;
+      }, {})
+    };
+
+    res.json(result);
   } catch (err) {
     console.log(err);
     res.status(500).json({ error: err.message });
@@ -30,12 +53,45 @@ app.get("/recipe/:id", async (req, res) => {
 });
 
 app.post("/add-recipe", async (req, res) => {
-  const { name, cuisine } = req.body;
+  const { name, cuisine, ingredients, steps } = req.body;
   try {
     const [id] = await db('recipes').insert({
       name: name,
       cuisine: cuisine
     }, ['id'])
+
+    const existingIngredients = await db('ingredients').whereIn('name', ingredients.map(ing => ing.name));
+    let ingredientData = [];
+    for (let ingredient of ingredients) {
+      const existingIngredient = existingIngredients.find(ing => ing.name === ingredient.name);
+      if (!existingIngredient) {
+        // create the ingredient if there is no entry
+        const [ingredientId] = await db('ingredients').insert({
+          name: ingredient.name
+        }, ['id']);
+        ingredientData.push({ id: ingredientId, quantity: ingredient.quantity, unit: ingredient.unit });
+      } else {
+        // if the ingredient exists use existing entry
+        ingredientData.push({ id: existingIngredient.id, quantity: ingredient.quantity, unit: ingredient.unit });
+      }
+    }
+
+    const ingredientInserts = ingredientData.map(ing => ({
+      ingredient_id: ing.id,
+      quantity: ing.quantity,
+      unit: ing.unit,
+      recipe_id: id.id
+    }));
+    await db('recipe_ingredients').insert(ingredientInserts);
+
+    // Step 4: Insert steps into recipe_steps
+    const stepInserts = Object.keys(steps).map(stepNumber => ({
+      recipe_id: id.id,
+      step_number: parseInt(stepNumber),
+      instruction: steps[stepNumber]
+    }));
+    await db('recipe_steps').insert(stepInserts);
+
     res.status(200).send({ message: "Recipe added", id: id.id });
   } catch (err) {
     console.log(err);
diff --git a/backend/migrations/20250708205938_create_ingredients_table.js b/backend/migrations/20250708205938_create_ingredients_table.js
index 5a24465..55255ee 100644
--- a/backend/migrations/20250708205938_create_ingredients_table.js
+++ b/backend/migrations/20250708205938_create_ingredients_table.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ exports.up = function (knex) {
       table.increments('id').primary();
       table.integer('recipe_id');
       table.integer('step_number');
-      table.string('instructions');
+      table.string('instruction');
       table.unique(['recipe_id', 'step_number']);
       table.index(['recipe_id'])
       table.timestamps(true, true);
diff --git a/todo b/todo
deleted file mode 100644
index 4e28e34..0000000
--- a/todo
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-todo:
-add recipe redirect to recipe page. id is getting returned now.
-make naming consistent and sensical of pages, functions, vars etc. 
-add are you sure modal to delete.
-add delete to recipe page
-Ensure Accessibility: Make sure you include attributes like aria-labelledby and aria-describedby for better accessibility. # i dont know what this means, but it might be a good idea to look into it or other accessability before finishing the project
-