Bring on the HEAT!

When I say that, I don't mean the Miami Heat....  

Boo...  

They are crushing our poor Chicago Bulls in the playoffs... 

HEAT is our acronym for Herlihy Engineering and Armor Technology, 

so I guess the blog title is always our mantra... 

But this cheer is really a rally cry 

for the eighty-plus degree forecast for today's weather...  

Chicago has had a ridiculously cool and wet spring...  

We have been tortured 

with a bone-chilling dampness 

that is making Midwesterners downright cranky...  

It's mid May, for Pete's sake!  

Where is the dang warm weather?!  

So, today we are blessed with heat 

that might even require some AC....  

Wow... the city is going to explode... 

 Every bar, outdoor cafe and park 

will be jammed with happy revelers...  

The kids and I will be hanging out at the park after school, for sure... 

 It might even be too hot to use the oven...  

Imagine that! 

 So, in celebration, below are some salad ideas 

for those of you who don't want 

to overheat the old kitchen...  

Yahoo!!!

Healthy Chicken and Chickpea Chopped Salad,
thanks to Ambitious Kitchen

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

A healthy, delicious salad that’s super easy to whip up.

Author: Monique of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 large romaine hearts, washed and chopped
• 1 cup pulled cooked chicken breast
• 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 3/4 cup sweet corn (I grilled mine)
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/3 cup cilantro, washed and chopped
• 1 small avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup BBQ dressing, if desired

Instructions

1. In a large bowl add lettuce, top with all ingredients except for avocado and BBQ dressing. Toss salad gently.
2. Place into cold salad bowls. Garnish with diced avocado and drizzle with BBQ dressing if desired. Serve with low-fat corn tortilla strips.

Notes

To make vegan omit chicken and goat cheese. Add in roasted diced red peppers for more flavor. You may you any dressing you like. Sometimes I like adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice and find that I don’t need any dressing at all. 

Mad Hungry's Greek Salad

thanks to Martha Stewart

• 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 leek, white and pale green parts only, cut into 3-inch julienne
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced crosswise 1/3 inch thick
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 1 Romaine heart, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 6 ounces store-bought stuffed grape leaves, halved
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 ounces Greek feta cheese

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Fry leeks in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil. Add cucumber, tomatoes, and kalamata olives and toss to combine.
   
3. Spread out Romaine on a large platter and cover with dressed vegetables. Top with grape leaves, chickpeas, leeks, and feta and serve.
   
   
   
   Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Marcona Almonds and Pecorino Cheese
   Thanks to The Daily Meal
   
   
   
   
   

   For the whole-citrus vinaigrette:

   2 lemons, preferaby Meyer lemons
   1/2 orange, preferably Navel
   1 large shallot
   1 1/2 cups olive oil
   1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
   1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
   

   For the salad:

   1 dozen large eggs, hard-boiled
   6 dozen Brussels sprouts (about 9 cups grated)
   3 dozen Marcona almonds, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
   1/4 cup grated Pecorino-Romano
   For the vinaigrette:
   With a juice extractor, juice the lemons, orange, and shallots, using the entire fruit with the peel, and pour into a small bowl. If you don't have a juicer, you can juice the citrus by hand, and then finely chop the shallot and add to the bowl with the juices, letting the mixture sit for about 30 minutes.
   Gradually whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk again, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
   
   For the salad:
   Using a mandoline, carefully shave each Brussels sprout, holding the stem end.
   To sieve the eggs, first separate the eggs yolks from the egg whites, as they do at Bottega. Push the eggs whites through the sieve, into a bowl, first, then follow with the egg yolks, pushing these into a separate bowl. This way you can add the eggs in layers to the salad. Alternatively, you can sieve the whole egg at once if it is easier.
   In a large bowl, add the sprouts, sieved eggs, and chopped almonds, and toss to combine. Pour on about 3/4 cups of the vinaigrette, and toss again. Spoon into chilled bowls and top with the pecorino, and a little bit more vinaigrette.
   2 cups of vinaigrette.
   Pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Rockin' Taco Salad
   thanks to Cherry on my Sundae
   
   
   Recipe from goodlifeeats.com
   Cooking time: 45 minutes 
   Yield: 4-6 servings
   
   
   Ingredients
   Homemade Spanish rice:
   1/2 cup diced yellow onion
   2 cloves garlic, minced
   1 tbsp olive oil
   3 tsp chili powder
   1 tsp cumin
   1/4 tsp smoked paprika
   1/2 tsp salt
   1/4 tsp black pepper
   dash of cayenne or chipotle powder, optional
   2/3 cup green, red, or combination diced bell pepper
   3/4 cup basmati rice
   2 14.5-oz cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
   1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
   1/2 cup water
   Toppings for taco salad bowls:
   black beans or refried black beans
   romaine lettuce
   sliced avocado
   sliced or chopped crunchy vegetables
   grilled or sauteed chicken
   grated cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
   sour cream
   salsa
   Directions
4. To prepare the rice, heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and all the spices, up to the cayenne, stirring well. Add the bell pepper, rice, tomatoes with the liquid, broth and the water. Bring the liquid to a boil. 
5. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat but keep covered for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir the rice. 
6. To assemble, portion the rice in each bowl and top with beans, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, chicken, and whichever toppings you prefer.

Asian Rice Salad with Shrimp
thanks to Food Network

Prep Time:
30 min
Cook Time:
10 min
Level:
Easy
Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch of sugar
3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise
1 large carrot, shredded
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cups snow peas, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup chow mein noodles and/or chopped peanuts

Directions

Whisk the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a large bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the dressing to a medium bowl, add the shrimp and toss. Add the carrot, celery and snow peas to the remaining dressing and toss.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to the bowl with the vegetables. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water to the skillet and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon, then add the liquid to the bowl with the shrimp. Let the skillet reheat, then add the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and stir-fry the rice until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Add the rice and scallions to the shrimp-vegetable mixture and toss. Divide among bowls and top with the lettuce, sprouts, chow mein noodles and/or peanuts.