A Harness Holiday

For the last four years or so, we have been hosting the annual Harness Holiday Get-together on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This is something I look forward to each year: a time to visit with extended family members including dozens of cousins who we don't get to see very often.

Not surprisingly, the day includes a potluck lunch. For starters, we had a parmesan cheese dip, served with crackers and chips. The main buffet included honey-baked ham, turkey, homemade sourdough bread, macaroni & cheese with ham, mashed potatoes, broccoli rice casserole, baked apples, green bean bundles, Mexican rice & chicken casserole, candied carrots, hominy casserole, apple & cranberry crumble, hashbrown casserole, relish tray, pinto beans, 7-layer salad, and cornbread salad.

Then we had plenty of options to satisfy one's sweet tooth:  a banafee pie with black walnuts, Rice Krispie treats, coconut M&Ms, red velvet whoopie pies, pumpkin crunch cake, orange & coconut cake, pilgrim hat cookies, peanut butter & chocolate fudge, and plain peanut butter fudge. Mmmmmm.

While some braved the cold weather to shoot basketball, most chose to stay warm inside. Ping-pong, pool, bingo, SEC football, etc. The Vols actually won one! Wooo hooo! Thanks to Pinterest, we also had a couple of crafts for the young ones: snowman candy bar wrapper and snowman in a baggie.

The second round of food has become an important tradition as well:  homemade hot tamales served with three varieties of chili. This year, it became a chili cookoff among the "out-laws." They were all amazing! This was the perfect accompaniment to the annual Harness Texas Hold'em tournament: a great consolation prize for those who went "all in" and lost. For those who couldn't wait that long, a "chili fold" was taken. :)  Keely came in first place for the third year in a row. . . not the best way to make friends among the cousins! Until next year. . .