R. M. Dolin – Page 29 – An Engineer's Perspective

Mai Tai

This is a close rendition of the original Mai Tai recipe from Trader Vic’s restaurant, the place credited with inventing the Mai Tai cocktail somewhere around 1944 in Oakland. This can be a powerful cocktail in terms of punch, especially if you substitute Amaretto for …

Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Stop using store-bought pancake mix, it’s stale, flat, and filled with chemicals and artificial flavors that can’t be good for your health; besides, it’s not hard to make an infinitely better fluffy batter mix from scratch. This simple recipe makes four 6″ pancakes (two servings), …

Lemon Zested Paella

Paella is a classic Spanish dish with three proteins; chicken, pork (Chorizo sausage), and shrimp. It’s a bit involved to make and it feeds a lot, but it also stores well and makes a great leftover. Traditionally paella is made in a special pan that …

The Greater Fool Theory

Chapter 15 in the R.M. Dolin novel “The Dangling Conversation“, May 15, 2023. ISABELLE: “I can’t do it, especially on short notice and it doesn’t help that Henry’s being a real shit; first he springs this on me last minute then gets offended when I …

Runza Casserole

Could be from Kansas, could be from Nebraska, is there any real difference? Most agree Runza is a German-American immigrant comfort food made with hamburger and cabbage. Serves 9 yuppies or 3 hungry cowboys. This is a great dish to serve on poker night along …

Skillet Ratatouille

A French vegetarian classic, ratatouille is a simple but involved vegetable staple for summertime. You can make this as a side, mixed with pasta, or even used with your breakfast eggs. Most ratatouille recipes don’t use mushrooms, but I like them so it’s optional for …

Bourbon Chicken with Sauce

Served over rice or beside slow cook grits makes a great meal option. I provide both a grilled and oven baked version. If you opt for grilling, I recommend a side of grilled Zucchini as well. While you could waste fine bourbon on this recipe, …

Grilled Zucchini with Oven Option

Zucchini is one of those things you can do just about anything with, from making noodles to jazzing up a pasta dish, but by itself and grilled it’s the perfect side to serve with grilled steak or salmon. The important part about grilling zucchini though, …

Elote Pasta Salad

Elote is a popular Mexican street food that is basically grilled corn on the cob coated with a spicy sauce that you should never say no to. This recipe is a pasta salad variation that can be served hot or cold. I like to make …

Elote Seasoning

This spice combination can be used to add zest to many cuisines, but the most common use is in corn, specially as a s spice added to grilled corn. You most often find this on Mexican grilled corn served by street vendors or at festivals. …