This week

I cannot wait for this week to be over. It hasn't been the worst week in my life, but if I wanted to rank it, it would be right up there. And tomorrow is our anniversary, and I have no desire to go out to dinner. Instead, I've been scouring my cookbooks looking for a dinner that will be festive, delicious -- and most importantly -- heart healthy.

Last night, I paid a visit to my basement stash of cookbooks, trying to separate the fat-laden books from the good-for-you ones, and came across some old favorites that I haven't seen since we made the move from Fairfield to Trumbull six years ago. Before I began my search, I knew one side dish would be a melange of roasted seasonal vegetables, which ones determined when I hit the market tomorrow. Brown rice -- one of Jack's favorite things to eat -- would also be on the plate. It was the main event that had me stumped.

Until I found Time Life's "Italian Cooking," one of the books in it's "Great Taste-Low Fat" series. The recipe is for rolled stuffed sole that sit on a bed of tomatoes. Tomatoes in February? Not a chance. Instead, our sole will sit on a bed of a roasted red peppers.

BAKED STUFFED SOLE WITH OLIVES AND TOMATOES

1/3 cup plus 1 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured olives, pitted, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tblsp. plain dried bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

3/4 tsp. dried oregano

4 sole or flounder fillets, any visible bones removed (about 1 1/2 lbs. total)

8 thick slices tomato

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. paprika

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl. combine the 1/3 cup parsley, olives, garlic, bread crumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano.
• Lay the fillets, flat skinned-sides down. Spoon the parsley mixture over the fillets and, starting form a short side, roll up each fillet.
• Lay the tomato slices in a 9-inch square baking dish, slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle with the salt. Place the fillets, seam-sides down, on top of the tomatoes. Drizzle the fish rolls with the oil and sprinkle with the paprika. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque in the center.
• Divide the tomatoes among 4 plates. Top the tomatoes with the fish rolls, spoon the pan juices over the fish, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and serve. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 249 calories, 8g fat, 10g carbohydrates, 34g protein, 82mg cholesterol, 513mg sodium.

VAL'S EASY ROASTED RED PEPPERS

• Lightly spray baking sheet with olive oil.
• Cut roasted red peppers in half, remove seeds and core, and place on baking sheet, skin side up. Place under broiler and broil until charred all over.
• Carefully remove peppers from pan and place in a bowl, skin-side up. Be sure to include any of the juices that might have accumulated in the pan. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Keep in bowl until peppers are cool enough to handle. Then remove skins. I make a bunch of peppers once a week, and then use them on sandwiches and in salads throughout the week.