Pharm Cooking: Recheck those flights
By LOU GREENHAW
Contributing writer
I explained to my husband that we are an average family about traveling. Steve and I check and recheck our flights to make sure they haven't been canceled. Plus we check to see if there is a backup flight if we don't get on the flight we're supposed to and so on. However, our older son doesn't check at all! So if you combine all of us, we are average.
The reason we know he doesn't check is because he and his fiancée just returned from South America. They, with some others from their church, spent three weeks visiting churches and missionaries, participating in a wedding, and relaxing. When it came time to return to Kansas City, they left Ascension, Paraguay, as scheduled on their way to Sao Paolo, Brazil. However, when they arrived there, they discovered that the airline had dropped that flight back in October. Neither the travel agent nor the airline contacted them. And, of course, this is the child who doesn't check flights on his own!
The big dilemma was getting Kristy back so she could begin her student teaching. Fortunately, United Airlines came to the rescue and found a way to get them home on the day scheduled. I should point out that it was another airline that canceled their flight! They arrived in Chicago and cleared customs without a hitch. That is because all their luggage was lost!
I'm sure it will turn up. With the airline in Paraguay thinking the flight was still operating out of Brazil, I'm sure the baggage tags were confusing. On the other hand, with the amount of corruption in some South American countries, they may never see their summer clothes and underwear again! They had thought ahead and were carrying all their valuables and toiletries with them.
The group spent a week in Brazil on the beach. Cameron told me that the hotel cost $11 a night and was five blocks from the beach. He said it was a good deal because it also included some meals. He has his father's genetics! He can find a bargain!
While they were sunning on the beach, I wanted to hibernate on the frigid days which seemed to be alternating with spring days. I made a slow cooker supper one night that Steve and my mom liked. I mixed it up on my lunch break and Steve added the cheese before I got home so supper was hot and ready when I walked in. For a moment, I thought I was a husband!
SLOW COOKER TAMALE PIE
1 pound hamburger, barely browned and drained
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 can corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 envelope chili seasoning
1 teaspoon seasoned salt or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Drain the hamburger well. Combine egg, milk and cornmeal and mix until smooth. Add corn, tomatoes, olives, seasonings and beef. Transfer to a greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 4-5 hours. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook 15 minutes more until cheese is melted. (Slow cookers vary with cooking time. The original recipe said to cook on high for 3 3/4 hours and it burned in my pot.)
