31 Days At The Table: Chicken Stroganoff

Welcome to Day 9 to our 31 Days At The Table Challenge.  Today was Crock Pot Tuesday so I decided to treat my family to one of our favorite meals: Crock Pot Chicken Stroganoff.

Creamy Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients...
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T melted butter
.7 oz packet of dry Italian Dressing Mix
10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup (can substitute cream of mushroom)
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Directions...
Pour melted butter in the bottom of your crock pot.  Place chicken in a single layer in crock pot and top with the packet of dry Italian Dressing mix (I like Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix).  Set cooker to low and cook for 5 hours.
When chicken is done, shred with a fork then add the can of soup and cream cheese.  Stir until  well incorporated.  Let mixture cook for another 30 minutes.  Serve with mashed potatoes or brown rice. 

Notes...
This recipe is a top ten in our family favorites and my son lovingly refers to it as chicken and gravy.  We've had this recipe forever and I don't even remember where it came from.  It's a great meal for cool weather and for feeding a crowd. 

Enjoy
~Lindsey

One Year Ago...
Greek Pasta Salad

Knitting the Summer Away

Happy July, Knitters!  I hope you are keeping cool and happily knitting away.  This month's swatch is a sweet and easy texture stitch meant to get you through the heat of the summer!

It's A Wrap

by Lindsey Melvin

Cast on 44 stitches
Border Rows:
Row 1, 3, 5: K1, P1 across row
Row 2, 4: P1, K1 across row

Pattern Rows:
Row 1 and 3: (P1, K1, P1, K1, P1) Purl to last 5 stitches (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K1, *YO, K2, pass YO over K2 repeat from * to last 6 K1 (P1, K1, P1, K1, P1)
Row 4: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) *YO, K2, pass YO over K2 repeat from * to last 5 stitches (P1, K1, P1, K1, P1)

Repeat these 4 rows until square is approx 9 inches long.

Border Rows 1, 3, 5: P1, K1 across row
Rows 2, 4: K1, P1 across row
Bind off all stitches.

I hope you enjoy this month's square and I hope you are having some fun in the sun- keep cool and happy knitting!

July Correction

There is a correction that needs to be made to the Horseshoe Lace Pattern on Row #8.  It should read:

Row 8: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K3, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, K3, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Hope this clears up any confusion :)

Happy Knitting!

July Swatches

This is our last month of lace, have you enjoyed it?  I think this month's patterns are great, because they take a look at some familiar patterns (the Horseshoe lace, for example, is a classic pattern that can be commonly found in lace motifs).  Later this month I will post a tutorial on blocking, so you'll really be able to see these patterns in their full glory.

In August we'll be taking a look at another technique, so enjoy this month and have your ''thinking caps'' ready!

As always, if you have any questions or want to share pictures my email is yearofswatches@gmail.com and all the patterns can be found on Ravelry.com so please make a pattern page and share your work! 
Just so you know, we've welcomed a new little knitter to the fold so if I am slow in responding, please be patient with me :)

Happy Knitting!

Beginner: Lacy Zigzag

Cast on 35 stitches.
Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows
Rows 1, 3, 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) *sl1 k1 psso, K2, yo, K2 repeat from * across to last 6 sts K1 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2 and all even rows: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) Purl (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Rows 7, 9, 11: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K3 *yo, K2, k2tog, K2 repeat from * across ending with a k2tog (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 12: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) Purl (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)


Repeat these 12 rows until square measures between 8 and 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat Border Rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches. 

Easy: Floral Rib

Cast on 35 stitches.
Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows
Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, k2tog, K1, yo, K1, yo, K1, sl1 k1 psso, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2 and all even rows: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) P7, K2, P7, K2, P7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, k2tog, yo, K3, yo, sl1 k1 psso, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, K1, yo, sl1 k1 psso, K1, k2tog, yo, K1, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 7: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P2, K2, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, K2, P2, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 8: Repeat row 2
 
Repeat these 8 rows until square measures 8 to 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat border rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches.

Intermediate: Horseshoe Lace

This pattern offers a slight challenge, as patterning is done on both the wrong side and right side of the work!
Cast on 35 stitches.

Border Rows 1-5: K1, P1 across

Pattern Rows:
Row 1: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 2: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K8, yo, K3, sl1 k2tog psso, K3, yo, K8 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 3: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 4: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K1, yo, K2, sl1 k2tog psso, K2, yo, K1, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 5: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 6: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K2, yo, K1, sl1 k2tog psso, K1, yo, K2, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 7: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) purl across (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)
Row 8: (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1) K7, P1, K3, yo, sl1 k2tog psso, yo, K3, P1, K7 (K1, P1, K1, P1, K1)

Repeat these 8 rows until square measures 8 to 8.5 inches (the lace squares should be slightly smaller than the others so there is room to stretch with blocking).

Repeat border rows 1-5.

Bind off all stitches.