Another Winter Soup Recipe - Southwestern Chicken* Soup
*(Or Use Lean Ground Beef)

1 - 12 oz jar salsa verde (I purchase this from Walgreens or BigLots for about $!.)
3 cups chicken pieces
(pre-cooked – i.e. deli chicken, sautéed, boiled - leftovers.)
OR
3 cups browned and drained ground beef
1 - 15 oz can black beans or pinto beans drained
3 - cups chicken broth
2 - 4 green onions chopped (for topping)
½ cups sour cream

Good - Optional Additions…
Tortilla chips (Restaurant style Doritos are good.)
Grated Cheese (1 cup)
Corn – small can (Or ½ cup to 1 cup of frozen corn added)
Sprinkling in a little Hidden Valley Ranch Dip is good (dried from package – use to taste)
Cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin - I like cumin & cilantro, but some do not.

Directions:
Empty the salsa into a large sauce pan.

Cook 2 minutes over medium high heat, then add the chicken, beans, and cumin (if desired).

Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Top each bowl with a sprinkling of onions, a dollop of sour cream, tortilla chips and cheese (if desired).

For more liquid in soup, use 4 cups of broth.


Notaries with Interest in the Christian Faith...NSAs interested in a forum that's geared for discussions with other NSAs who are of the should email me at faith@texnotary.com
 

However, sometimes, new Notary Signing Agents do not know that being a notary is more than stamping a copy of the seal onto a document after it is signed. And, being in Texas where no formal training is required, when I was a new notary, this was true about me. Until I began to dig in on my own, and I began to educate myself about being notary I was of the same opinion.

Boring as it may seem, I strongly endorse that every new signing agent make it a goal to familiarize themselves with the rules.

I have a link on my site which will direct every notary to their state’s site where they should be able to get a printable copy, or order an extra set to use as study materials. Here it is: http://www.texnotary.com/tooltime/sos.htm


Challenge #1 to new NSAs:
Learn Your Notary Rules Inside and Out Before January 1, 2005
(Get a place on my website and enter to win a new journal.)

If you have only been a notary for one year or less, and if you complete this challenge I will publish a page on my site and maintain it for at least one year for those of you who do complete the Challenge #1. And, I will add your name to it, if you give me permission.

Out of those who complete Challenge #1 before January 1, 2005 – I will give out two prizes by doing an old fashioned drawing from a “hat.” You’ll just have to trust that I will do it because this will not be supervised by anyone but myself. Two people will be able to choose from one of the following:

NotaryDepot.com’s Journal (http://notarydepot.com/ndjintro.php)
NotaryRotary.com’s Journal (http://www.notaryrotary.com/thenotaryshop/mojo.htm)

Rules for the drawing: Challenge #1 - Learn your notary rules.

Step One - Email me at challenge1@texnotary.com and tell me you will take Challenge #1!

Step Two - When you complete the challenge, email me at the above email address and tell me:

(a) The difference between a Jurat and an Acknowledgement—not just the words, but give me examples of what you use one on and the other. Give me a definition from your state’s rules. I will not “grade” them, but only want to see that you gained a good understanding of the main two notarial acts that notaries perform.

(b) How you learned your rules—what study method you used.

(c) Five things you know now that you did not know before you took Challenge #1.

(d) Send me a copy of your notary commission showing you have been a notary one year or less as of January 5, 2005. I realize that this is not proof positive that you have not been a notary for years, but I have to trust that only new notaries will pursue the Challenge #1.

If you have trouble figuring out how to get the info into a good “respectable” list - Try this method:
1. Obtain a copy of your educational materials.
2. While using a spiral notebook, or by sitting at your computer, get ready to create yourself a “respectable” list of the do’s and don’ts of your commission’s guidelines. (By respectable, I mean crystallize it in a nice list that not only will others respect, but so will YOU.)
3. Now, please take a look at the webpage I made for myself at http://texnotary.com/thankyoufornot.htm
4. Using that as a guide, perhaps you can create yourself a list of similar rules that will “tip” you off and help you remember what you need to know.
 

(Other Challenges may be issued upon occasion in my newsletters. Thanks!)
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Keeping Time
Free Calendars

Here are a couple of nifty sites for getting your calendars printed up for the New Year.

www.mycalendar.com

www.calendars.net

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Web Sites
Free Websites

www.tripod.com www.angelfire.com www.freewebspace.net


I personally use Winsave.com because I use FrontPage and I also use databases in FrontPage.

Not all sites offer this feature even if they do support FrontPage! My site costs $8.95 per month. You can pay yearly, monthly, quarterly.

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Tips & Tidbits
Copies of ID Cards

How many times have you gone to a signing and there were no copies of the ID available?

Get creative! Put that picture-taking cell phone to use for more than fun! It might be a bit difficult to get a perfectly clear picture, but I think the main thing is that you can prove that you have seen the ID. Some lenders require a copy of an ID in the file. Get the best copy you can, but don't give up on using the cellphone camera.

I personally take my my digital camera with me to every single signing and that way I never miss an ID copy. I have a good camera and a close up lens, as well. Between the high quality zoom lens, or the close up lens, I can literally copy anything from a dime to a poster with clarity. If you are thinking this might be something you are interested in doing. Try Overstock.com.

There are some awesome cameras available there for $159 - $200 that will do all the things that my camera will.


Preventative Medicine for NSAs
Avoiding Getting Colds And Flu Bugs During Signings


Going into other people’s homes can be disconcerting during cold and flu seasons. Keeping healthy is the best way to avoid illness. A couple of other ideas may help to get us through this season.

As a genuine treasure collector, I frequent junk shops and flea markets. Here are some of my own ideas that I use during these ventures (because Lord only knows what is crawling around in some of the places I go to look for that little item hiding in a dark corner!). I figure that nothing in the borrower’s home can be much tougher than what I encounter in my musty, moldy shopping trips.


1. Vitamins daily – eat a balanced diet with a lot of Vitamin A and Vitamin C
Dark Greens have both of these vitamins. Try to add broccoli and greens to your diet during the cold and flu season. Increase the orange juice and tomato juice whenever possible. I make a lot of homemade tomato soup during the winter. It’s a family tradition – below is the recipe.

2. Gargle with Hydrogen Peroxide several times a week according to directions on the bottle. (Not only does it cut down on germs, it whitens your teeth.)

3. Wash your hands more than usual. I keep a squeeze bottle of 3:1 Water : Rubbing Alcohol and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid handy to wash my hands with and to quickly rinse off a glass after I use it.

4. Keep antibacterial gel in your gear pack and use it as soon as you leave the signing.


Send me more ideas for Preventative Medicine Techniques for Signing Agents! Address them to Newsletter@TexNotary.com

NSA Winter Soup Recipe:
Texas Tomato Soup

Note: My grandfather (Bob Mills) taught me to make this when I was a child. Apparently in East Texas where some of the deepest roots of my family are , tomatoes were plentiful, and so was cow’s milk. Here’s one of my family’s favorite and long-standing recipes.

Six – 10 slices of bacon
One large onion - finely chopped
Two cans of stewed tomatoes (size: 15.5 oz)
One Can of Tomato Sauce (size 15.5 oz)
Two cups of Milk
Cornstarch 2 – 3 tablespoons
Black Pepper & Salt
PLUS:
¼ cup of water
1 or 2 cornbread mixes, 1 egg, 2/3 cup of milk needed for each mix.

Go ahead and prepare the cornbread and put in the oven. (Set the timer.)

Run the stewed tomatoes through a food processor to puree, or use a stick blender to mince well. When I was a young bride, I used my hands to “mush” them as well as possible. (My kids would not eat it if the tomato chunks were very large.) Some people like the chunks and prefer not to puree or much the tomatoes as well as I do. When you are finished, set aside.

Using a soup pot: Fry the slices of bacon until crisp. Remove and set on paper towels to drain.

You are going to use these drippings to sautee the onion. “Eyeball” the amount of bacon drippings and decide if you can pour some off. I usually do pour off about half of it.

Next, sautee’ the onion until transparent.

Add the mushed / pureed cans of tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Cook at medium high heat. Bring to a foaming boil.

Add two cups of milk and observe that it will look like it has curdled. Reduce to low heat for a few minutes and it will begin to mix well and become smooth in appearance.

Put about two tablespoons of cornstarch in a cup or glass. Add about three tablespoons of water and mix well. Add the ¼ cup of water to the cornstarch mix and stir well. Pour into the soup and thicken it to your liking. Add water if you get it too thick and cook a few minutes longer.

Use plenty of black pepper to season and salt.

Set the pot on the table and crumble up the bacon on top of it, or put the bacon in a bowl for adding at the table.

Serve with, or over, lots of cornbread. This recipe makes about a two quarts of soup. How cheap and easy was that!

It reheats well and will put Vitamin C into your diet.

If you have a good recipe to share, send it to newsletter@texnotary.com

Final Notes from Brenda…

This was the first edition of my newsletter. Bear with me, but let me know what you think. I will open the ability to comment on this newsletter. Constructive criticism is welcome!

If you have an interest in networking with notaries who have deep faith in Biblical beliefs, please let me know. I am considering creating a group for the purpose. Not sure what the context or forum will be, but would like input. eMail me at faith@texnotary.com

Until next time - have a wonderful and prosperous week!

IMPORTANT:

If you want to continue to get this newsletter, please send an email to

Newsletter@TexNotary.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject. No message is necessary!