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Steps to great rolls

In the early 1980s, I cut out a recipe from a McCalls magazine for Parker House rolls. It was in the “cooking school” section of the magazine and had step-by-step pictures. It is the best Parker House roll recipe I have ever had. Everyone expects them at the holidays and I can’t find it. Does anyone have it?

Laurie Tsonetokoy, Sacramento

No-egg cookie dough

Making cut-out cookies for the holidays has been a family tradition for decades. My 2-year-old grandson has a severe allergy to eggs so I want to find a recipe that is egg-free that I can use to make rolled, cut out cookies for the holidays. Can anyone help?

Rosemary Naves, Elk Grove

HOW TO CONTACT

THE MAILBOX

If you have recipes in reply to Mailbox reader requests, or questions or comments, write to: Mailbox, c/o Taste, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. You also can email twatson@sacbee.com or fax (916) 321-1109. Please include your full name, your city and phone number.

Ten22 Carrot bisque

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Serves 10

Laura Paine of Folsom fell in love with the carrot bisque served at Ten22 in Old Sacramento. She never thought she'd like a carrot soup, but Paine said this soup was heaven. She thought it contained ginger, onion and possibly coconut cream and was pureed. She was hoping for the recipe.

Rebecca Wilkie, Ten22's marketing manager, graciously shared their recipe with us. It was created by Executive Chef Jay Veregge.

INGREDIENTS

20 ounces carrots, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

2 cups pineapple, coarsely chopped

24 fluid ounces coconut milk

1 cup clover honey

3 tablespoons Madras curry powder

2 tablespoons powdered ginger

30 fluid ounces vegetable stock

Optional garnishes:

Lime juice, cilantro and honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

On a roasting pan or cookie sheet, roast carrots, onion, celery and pineapple for approximately 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine coconut milk, honey, curry powder, ginger and vegetable stock in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and add roasted vegetables and pineapple. Keep at a solid boil over high heat for approximately 35 to 40 minutes or until soft. Cool to approximately 100 degrees and carefully blend in a standard counter-top blender (in batches, if necessary) or use an emersion blender.

Garnish with lime juice, cilantro and honey, if desired.

Per serving: 199 cal.; 2 g pro.; 17 g carb.; 15 g fat (13 sat., 1 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 269 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 63 percent calories from fat.

Chicken Normandy

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Serves 4

Torrey Ross of Sacramento lost a family favorite recipe in a house fire. She used to make a chicken dish with onions, apples and apple liqueur. Her grown children are asking for this dish again.

Debbie McCarrick shares her recipe that sounds like a match for Ross.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter, divided use

2 apples (Fuji or Jonagold), cored and sliced into wedges (peel or not)

Flour for dredging

4 whole chicken legs with thighs (with skin)

Salt

1 large onion, peeled, sliced lengthwise (root to top) into wedges

1/2 cup brandy (apple brandy or Calvados)

2 cups apple cider

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup cream

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle salt over chicken pieces and let sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the apple slices and saute until they turn a little brown around the edges, turning occasionally. Sprinkle the apple slices with a little salt. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Dredge the chicken in flour and place the pieces in the saute pan, skin side down. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Over medium to medium-high heat, fry the chicken until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onions to saute pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Spread the onion slices out in an even layer to cover the pan. Saute the onions, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Slowly add the brandy to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any remaining browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the brandy boil until it has reduce by about half. Add the cider and bring it to a boil.

Sprinkle in the thyme and add just a pinch of salt. Arrange the chicken in the saute pan, skin side up and not submerged by cider-brandy mixture, and simmer, uncovered, until cooked through and tender, 15 to 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. With the saute pan over high heat, add the apples and boil down the sauce by half. When the sauce reduces to the point where it's a little syrupy, add the cream and turn down the heat. Adjust seasonings. To serve, spoon some apples and onions on the plate, top with sauce and a piece of chicken.

Per serving: 672 cal.; 33 g pro.; 38 g carb.; 35 g fat (16 sat., 13 monounsat., 6 polyunsat.); 180 mg chol.; 743 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 48 percent calories from fat.