diff --git a/mealie/db/database.py b/mealie/db/database.py
index 1c6e3a5dc..831136a5e 100644
--- a/mealie/db/database.py
+++ b/mealie/db/database.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from schema.category import RecipeCategoryResponse
+from schema.category import RecipeCategoryResponse, RecipeTagResponse
 from schema.meal import MealPlanInDB
 from schema.recipe import Recipe
 from schema.settings import SiteSettings as SiteSettingsSchema
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class _Tags(BaseDocument):
     def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.primary_key = "slug"
         self.sql_model = Tag
-        self.orm_mode = False
+        self.orm_mode = True
+        self.schema = RecipeTagResponse
 
 
 class _Meals(BaseDocument):
diff --git a/mealie/db/db_base.py b/mealie/db/db_base.py
index 9bc5f38fa..92f15f7ff 100644
--- a/mealie/db/db_base.py
+++ b/mealie/db/db_base.py
@@ -116,23 +116,12 @@ class BaseDocument:
             .all()
         )
 
-        if self.orm_mode:
-            if limit == 1:
-                try:
-                    return self.schema.from_orm(result[0])
-                except IndexError:
-                    return None
-            return [self.schema.from_orm(x) for x in result]
-
-        db_entries = [x.dict() for x in result]
-
         if limit == 1:
             try:
-                return db_entries[0]
+                return self.schema.from_orm(result[0])
             except IndexError:
                 return None
-
-        return db_entries
+        return [self.schema.from_orm(x) for x in result]
 
     def create(self, session: Session, document: dict) -> dict:
         """Creates a new database entry for the given SQL Alchemy Model.
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/api_extras.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/api_extras.py
index 41b4866eb..3b9e8fd0c 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/api_extras.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/api_extras.py
@@ -14,6 +14,3 @@ class ApiExtras(SqlAlchemyBase):
     def __init__(self, key, value) -> None:
         self.key_name = key
         self.value = value
-
-    def dict(self):
-        return {self.key_name: self.value}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/ingredient.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/ingredient.py
index 018e32586..535d5ac8a 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/ingredient.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/ingredient.py
@@ -11,6 +11,3 @@ class RecipeIngredient(SqlAlchemyBase):
 
     def update(self, ingredient):
         self.ingredient = ingredient
-
-    def to_str(self):
-        return self.ingredient
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
index f8a50107f..5b2530a31 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
@@ -9,8 +9,3 @@ class RecipeInstruction(SqlAlchemyBase):
     position = sa.Column(sa.Integer)
     type = sa.Column(sa.String, default="")
     text = sa.Column(sa.String)
-
-    def dict(self):
-        data = {"@type": self.type, "text": self.text}
-
-        return data
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/note.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/note.py
index 54e5b2da8..8f1e69d51 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/note.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/note.py
@@ -13,5 +13,3 @@ class Note(SqlAlchemyBase):
         self.title = title
         self.text = text
 
-    def dict(self):
-        return {"title": self.title, "text": self.text}
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/nutrition.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/nutrition.py
index d946da3a2..5b28033c3 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/nutrition.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/nutrition.py
@@ -29,12 +29,3 @@ class Nutrition(SqlAlchemyBase):
         self.sodiumContent = sodiumContent
         self.sugarContent = sugarContent
 
-    def dict(self) -> dict:
-        return {
-            "calories": self.calories,
-            "fatContent": self.fatContent,
-            "fiberContent": self.fiberContent,
-            "proteinContent": self.proteinContent,
-            "sodiumContent": self.sodiumContent,
-            "sugarContent": self.sugarContent,
-        }
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
index f81683a2b..522c4b5c7 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/tag.py
@@ -27,20 +27,10 @@ class Tag(SqlAlchemyBase):
         assert not name == ""
         return name
 
-    def to_str(self):
-        return self.name
-
     def __init__(self, name) -> None:
         self.name = name.strip()
         self.slug = slugify(self.name)
 
-    def dict(self):
-        return {
-            "id": self.id,
-            "slug": self.slug,
-            "name": self.name,
-            "recipes": [x.dict() for x in self.recipes],
-        }
 
     @staticmethod
     def create_if_not_exist(session, name: str = None):
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/settings.py b/mealie/db/models/settings.py
index 8986c3ed9..5a3be0bf7 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/settings.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/settings.py
@@ -15,13 +15,19 @@ class SiteSettings(SqlAlchemyBase, BaseMixins):
         single_parent=True,
     )
     show_recent = sa.Column(sa.Boolean, default=True)
+    cards_per_section = sa.Column(sa.Integer)
 
     def __init__(
-        self, session: Session = None, language="en", categories: list = [], show_recent=True
+        self,
+        session: Session = None,
+        language="en",
+        categories: list = [],
+        show_recent=True,
+        cards_per_section: int = 9,
     ) -> None:
         session.commit()
         self.language = language
-
+        self.cards_per_section = cards_per_section
         self.show_recent = show_recent
         self.categories = [
             Category.create_if_not_exist(session=session, name=cat.get("name"))
diff --git a/mealie/db/models/theme.py b/mealie/db/models/theme.py
index d30b03ceb..a29cc5a5c 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/theme.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/theme.py
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ class SiteThemeModel(SqlAlchemyBase):
         self.colors.update(**colors)
         return self.dict()
 
-    def dict(self):
-        data = {"name": self.name, "colors": self.colors.dict()}
-        return data
-
 
 class ThemeColorsModel(SqlAlchemyBase):
     __tablename__ = "theme_colors"
@@ -50,15 +46,3 @@ class ThemeColorsModel(SqlAlchemyBase):
         self.info = info
         self.warning = warning
         self.error = error
-
-    def dict(self):
-        data = {
-            "primary": self.primary,
-            "accent": self.accent,
-            "secondary": self.secondary,
-            "success": self.success,
-            "info": self.info,
-            "warning": self.warning,
-            "error": self.error,
-        }
-        return data
diff --git a/mealie/schema/category.py b/mealie/schema/category.py
index 0df0838a7..863eaf4a8 100644
--- a/mealie/schema/category.py
+++ b/mealie/schema/category.py
@@ -19,3 +19,11 @@ class RecipeCategoryResponse(CategoryBase):
 
     class Config:
         schema_extra = {"example": {"id": 1, "name": "dinner", "recipes": [{}]}}
+
+
+class TagBase(CategoryBase):
+    pass
+
+
+class RecipeTagResponse(TagBase):
+    pass
diff --git a/mealie/schema/settings.py b/mealie/schema/settings.py
index 6b525ac0b..77361d3c1 100644
--- a/mealie/schema/settings.py
+++ b/mealie/schema/settings.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from schema.category import CategoryBase
 class SiteSettings(CamelModel):
     language: str = "en"
     show_recent: bool = True
+    cards_per_section: int = 9
     categories: Optional[list[CategoryBase]] = []
 
     class Config:
diff --git a/mealie/schema/theme.py b/mealie/schema/theme.py
index b98594ac4..32b25282e 100644
--- a/mealie/schema/theme.py
+++ b/mealie/schema/theme.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class Colors(BaseModel):
     primary: str = "#E58325"
     accent: str = "#00457A"
     secondary: str = "#973542"
-    success: str = "#5AB1BB"
+    success: str = "#4CAF50"
     info: str = "#4990BA"
     warning: str = "#FF4081"
     error: str = "#EF5350"