Bob Dylan is wrapping up his summer 2012 North American tour, and his 35th studio album, "Tempest", was released earlier this week. Dylan fan or not, you can easily put together your own new twist on a classic: Bob's Mom's Banana Bread.
This recipe is from "Cincinnati Seasoned", the latest cookbook compiled and published by The Junior League of Cincinnati. How did this recipe make its way into a local cookbook? Really, there is a Cincinnati connection! Here's the sidebar:
Bob's Mom's Banana Bread was originally created by Betty Zimmerman, mother of musician Bob Dylan. Mrs. Zimmerman used to vacation in Arizona to escape Minnesota's cold winter months. That's where she passed on the recipe to her friend and fellow Duluth native, Evelyn Kuth. Mrs. Kuth has since passed on the recipe to her own family, and it is very much enjoyed by her granddaughter, Katy Crossen, who in turn submitted the recipe to Cincinnati Seasoned.
Bob's Mom's Banana Bread (serves 8)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream [I like to use plain low-fat yogurt as an easy and lower-calorie sour cream substitute.]
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup chocolate chips [I find that mini-sized chips support a better distribution through the batter than the larger chips.]
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add sour cream and the bananas, and beat well. Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon into a large, greased loaf pan or two greased loaf pans. Bake for 50 minutes* or until the bread tests done. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
* I found this timing to be just a little too long, especially if you opt to make several smaller sized loaves. Start checking your loaves after 30 minutes to make sure you don't overcook them.
- The Junior League is renowned for publishing uniquely local and regional cookbooks, and "Cincinnati Seasoned" is no exception. The beautifully staged and photographed cookbook depicts Cincinnati landmarks, and makes an excellent shower or housewarming gift. However, don't be intimidated by its looks - this particular compilation of recipes is favored because they are easy-but-impressive, and has an especially valuable appetizer and beverage section. It's always nice when something has a higher presentation and flavor payoff than the time and ingredients invested! This and other JLC cookbooks can be purchased online from the JLC's Web site or Amazon.com, or locally in-store at Joseph Beth Booksellers.
- Bob Dylan National Examiner
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