This is a variation of a recipe posted at all recipes by Star Pooley. The changes are mostly in cooking the broth for 2+ hours instead of 30 minutes. Level 1 - Pro/Fat 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 onions chopped 2 cloves of garlic - minced - more if you like about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley - originally called for an entire bunch of parsley 1 large can of diced tomatoes - originally called for stewed tomatoes * optional(if you like a thicker soup you can include a large can of tomato puree or 1 small can of tomato paste) 1/2 cups dry white wine 2 bottles of clam juice - origanally called for water instead of clam juice 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon of dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dired oregano *optional - 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes - if you like a little kick 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp 1 1/2 lbs bay scallops 2+ dozen clams 2+ dozen mussels - cleaned and debearded 1 1/2 cups of crabmeat - I used lump crabmeat 1 1/2 pounds of cod cubed - I used tilapia Over medium-low heat melt butter and add evoo in large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley. Stir and cook until onions are tender. Add tomatoes to the onions, then add chicken broth, wine, clam broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme and oregano. Mix well, cover and simmer at least 2 hours. Stir in shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, crabmeat and fish. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer about 7 minutes or until clams open. Serve in bowls and enjoy!

beauty~I want to say hey & welcome you. This is a very caring group. You are welcome to join us if you want to. I do hope that you find exactly what you are looking for. I started out at 244 & am currently down to 176. Yippee. But, I cannot claim to be doing SS. We are all doing different programs. Most of the girls are doing WW, I think. Don't give up~Keep your eye on the goal. :-)

Hello everyone and welcome newbies! Had to take DH for his kidney stones procedure yesterday. He's OK, but needs someone in the house with him. I've got him set up in the guest room on our second level, so I can keep an eye on him while I am in our office working. He had two on the left and they found another two on the right side, so I need to make another appointment to get them all blasted. Lots of drama going on with my brother lately. My sister and I made some decisions that was difficult for me, but it's time I let him fly on his own. I feel better about it, because he has not really had any brother-sister relationship with me and does not want it now. He simply does not have any emotional support to give, so he will fly or fall. Will let you all know more about it when some things are settled. My counselor wanted me to get mad and stay mad at him, and I am finally getting some peace with that! Can you believe it? She told me that if anyone treated me as badly as I treat myself, there would be a restraining order against them! I don't always see it that way, but she's the expert! Gotta run; I'm working from home, and my e:mail keeps ringing. Make this day count! Hug your family! Take care, eat healthy, and NEVER NEVER GIVE UP! DeeMarie PS: Marci, can you come over with all your energy and help me with closets? LOL

eloise, I call myself uglyfatslob, because that is exactly what I am. I'm disgusted with myself. Being fat wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that I have such a huge upper body that must be carried around on two skinny legs. My older brother is also fat, not as fat as I am, about 5 ft 7 in and 580 pounds, but he looks younger than I do, although he is 10 years older, because he has a nice bushy head of hair, and his weight is more evenly distributed so he has a big fat butt, and short fat legs, big round hips, and his upper body is not quite as big as his lower body. He's more pear shaped. His health is better. He does not have type 2 diabetes as I do, and his blood pressure is normal, and his cholesterol is not too high, so his health is still good, but he says that he would like to lose some weight anyway. Compared to me, he is a lot better looking. In fact, he has a girl friend who is beautiful, and they plan to get married. She refers to my brother as a BHM, Big Handsome Man, or a BBM Big Beautiful Man, she's what you would call an FA, or Fat Admirer. Of course, even though he would like to lose some weight, he does seem to be a lot happier with himself, than I am with myself, and I'm thankful that he does not put me down because of my looks. He does not like it when I call myself ugly and disgusting. But the truth is, I am! He looks good in clothes. He does complain that he has to pay so damn much for a pair of pants, but he can wear his super large pants up around his waist, and his pants cover his big butt, and he can tuck in his shirts. So, although he's very fat, he can look really good in decent cloths. But for me, I can't wear anything worth a damn. I can't tuck my shirt in. My shirts won't cover my bellybutton, and I can't keep my pant up. My pant keep sliding half way down on my small butt, so I walk around exposing my bellybutton and butt crack. I look awful in clothes. My skinny legs are real hairy, I probably have more hair on my legs than I have on my head. My belly hang down over my lower groin, and I sweat a lot down there. I smell bad. Down below I give of a heavy, kind of sweet, musky body odor. PU!!! My love handles hang down over my narrow hips, and the fat on my lower beck goes out further than my small butt. I think I look ridicules with my arms being so much fatter than my skinny hairy legs. The only good thing that has happened to me, is that because of my head being bald on top, I look much older, so I can go into any liquor store to buy beer, and they don't ask me to show any ID because I do look old enough to buy beer, even though I'm only 18. I look older than 21 because of my bald head. So, when I'm feeling depressed, I just go into a liquor store to buy beer. I tried going into a bar to drink, but everybody there complained about my body odor and I was asked to leave. Yes, I am an ugly disgusting fat slob, and I hate myself. I wish I could be more like my older brother, even though is is also very fat, I would love to be like him because he is so much better looking, and in better health, and he does not smell bad like me!