You'll be "HOOKED" with our favorite 12 days of recipes for 12 days of Christmas!

 

 

Probably one of my favorite things about Christmas, besides of course celebrating Christ birthday and what it represents, is cooking up a fun feast for family and friends. The holidays have always meant to me a large mix of culinary delights and many of which are harvested during the fall and winter. The following is our updated top picks of “MUST” make dishes during Christmas and New Years. No doubt, everyone of these recipes has been truly tested and enjoyed for many, many years. All of them are “Can’t Miss” recipes. The top 12 list is in no particular order at all, they are all number one. These dishes also offer a great variety of table fare that will accommodate the most discriminating palate. If you are looking for a great Christmas company dish just pick out any of these, your family and friends will love you for it.

If you really enjoy these recipes, you can always say thank you buy buying us an appetizer here on Jim’s Galley. Tis the season!

Ok, here we go!!

1) JB's 5 Cheese Mac & Cheese Bomb
 The title says it all. Yes, if you are a lover of Mac & Cheese then this is the recipe for you. It is rather decadent, but, for once a year it may not kill you. Just increase work outs and diet starting Jan 1st.
Click Here

 

2) Baugh’s Baguettes

I don’t know what else I can say, everyone loves gourmet artisan home baked bread. It goes with everything over the holidays and fresh baguettes served with an olive oil dipping spice mix is a dinner within itself. You can always vary this recipe with your own blended flowers. These days I usually do a mix of half whole grain and half high glutton or bread flour. This recipe is also one of our top five most requested recipes of all time, it is a darn good one. Here ya go!

CLICK HERE

 

3) Sea Bass

This here in the Mid Atlantic is one of our favorite Holiday and Wintertime dishes. Fresh Sea Bass caught deep offshore is one of thhe tasetyest fish yu could ever pan fry. You won’t be disappointed with this one!

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4) Cajun Injected Smoked Brined Turkey 

Cajun injected brined Turkey.

Well, nuff said. Just DO IT!! Also be sure to make some “Muff” sandwiches with some of those Turkey slices. WOW!! Now that is some leftovers!

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5) Apple Wood Smoked Salmon with Asparagus

Salmon goes with just about any celebration. If you have not planked it up yet, make a point to this Christmas. A VERY good way to prepare Salmon and it is something your guest will not often have the pleasure of having. Cheers!

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6) Jim Bo Lyia

Jim Bo Lyia is always a Christmas Fav and breaks up the traditional with a little spice. This recipe is from a buddy of mine who is a world renowned chef. This is a sure “Fire” recipe that every Holiday should enjoy. We Do!!

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7) Linguine and clam sauce

Clams! Clams! Clams! A SUPER MUST during Christmas. Clams anyway and every way you can fix them Clams Casino is a fav and the recipe is also here on the Galley. This Linguine is a stable recipe that we prepare a lot and can also go as a side with man other main entrees. It is fantastic alongside a nice think Holiday steak!! Have fun with this one!

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8) Oyster Stuffing Patties

Well, if you’re not going to have Oyster stuffing, then just call off the whole darn shootin match! This is a MUST HAVE HOLIDAY DISH!

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9) Muffuletta

The key here is the oiva salad, it goes with everything. Make it a couple weeks before Christmas and enjoy it with everything. You don't have to use the authentic meat ingredients, the smoked Turkey your going to have on hand is awesome with this olive salad. What ever else you may do over the Holidas, make SURE you do this one. You will be sooooooo glad you did!

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10) Jim's Chicago Deep Dish Extravaganza

Nothing better on a chilly Holiday evening to break up the smoke smell in the house from all that TUrke than a great deep dish pie. This is one of our top five requested recipes. A gooden!!

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11) Steamed Lobster with Clams and Drawn Garlic Butter

 This one just needs no explanation at all. Just do it!

CLICK HERE

 

12) Jims Southern Ribs from JBBQ Restaurant

This is my recipe for the special ribs we sold at JBBQ restaurant at Victorian Station. We sold out nightly and people would stand in line for these things. Smoked ribs is an excellent meal for a holiday celebration and one that everyone will enjoy. Goes well with our Mac & Cheese recipe as well!

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Merry Christmas From "Santa Jim"

1978 Regency Square Mall

Richmond VA

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CLICK HERE FULL CONCERT

 

The Tomato Sandwich…. A True Southern Tradition

The Tomato Sandwich….

 

Yes I am a southerner. Born and raised in Virginia growing up in Richmond, the Chesapeake Bay as well as Lawrenceville VA, I grew up with certain Virginia table fare traditions. Lets see, at my grandparents’ house in South Side every dinner table had a side of salted smoked and cured ham sitting on a plate. Alongside the ham was a bowl of fresh cut cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and onions all from the garden. The vegetables were douched in apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. The vinegar veggies and ham were a side at every dinner, regardless of what the main course was. Main course in the south for us meant fresh shot Doves from the corn field, venison, or the infamous Brunswick stew. (I never took to Brunswick stew, everyone else in my family loved it.)

 

For desert, was usually fresh churned vanilla (always vanilla) ice cream topped with fresh black berries we had picked earlier in the day. After desert, my brother and I would go out and catch lighting bugs, put them in a jar and place bed side for our night light.

This may sound like a sepia tone moment, but the rustic throwback image would not be complete without the king of southern traditions, the tomato sandwich.

I grew up with fresh grown super big beefsteak tomatoes and they are the BEST for making tomato sandwiches. Some folks I hear spur up the standard tomato sandwich with bacon, lettuce, and other delights that are wonderful. However the authentic beginning of all sandwiches in the south start with the tomato.

Yes, this is a simple recipe. The complication is only fresh ripened summer tomatoes will work. The biggest beefsteak you can grow or purchase in late June or July is what you need. It takes one whole beefsteak to make a tomato sandwich. It’s a biggie, but nothing else will do. It is just delicious.

I look forward each year to tomato season and the time has come. Here is the incredibly simple recipe.

 ·         Use whole wheat bread rather thin sliced. Homemade is best, if not than just get a hearty whole wheat brand from the store.

·         Real mayo! Homemade or get the good stuff from the store. Spread liberally on the bread. ( Do NOT toast the bread)

·         Cut you tomato and salt and pepper each slice, and also pepper the sliced bread.

·         Load up the tomatoes on the bread, slice and serve.

Well, it can’t get any easier than that. The fact is that the simple tomato sandwich has a flavor profile all its own. Once you add bacon, etc., it takes on another form, a delicious form, but it does go in another delicious direction.

 

Chow!

Jim Baugh

JBOTV

Author of Hooked & AFTERMATH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crawfish Boil-Sometimes it's really nice to be a guest for dinner!

 

Well folks, this post is a bit different. My wife Donna and I were invited for a dinner party that will forever go down in history as one of our all-time favorites. This is just going to be hard to beat. Living in Virginia Crawfish are a real treat because they have to be shipped from New Orleans. We on the Chesapeake Bay have our own version of this boil, basically steamed crabs which are delicious as well.

The chef fixing up this boil seemed to do everything exactly as it should be. Pre boil the potatoes and sausage with boil seasoning, etc. (Also several sticks of butter are in the boil mix.) I loved the fact there were also a variety of mushrooms boiled up as well)

Our friends that put on this dinner really put on quite an impressive spread. To my surprise after somewhere between 30 -50 pounds of Crawfish boiled, then out came….. THE SHRIMP BOIL! I could not believe it. We were stuffed!!

I cook so much for the show, at home, that it is not all that often that we are able to go out as guest for dinner. This was a SUPER treat!! Donna and I just loved it and can’t thank our friends enough for inviting us. Here are a few pics of what is one of my favorite all time dinners-out.

Thanks again!

 

 

Shrimp tocos with corn tortillas and Jim’s feliz salsa

Well, I got lucky on this one. No doubt one of the best things I have ever made! An inexpensive easy dish to make that will make any dinner party a REAL FUN FEAST. Summer is the perfect time for this amazing delicious and healthy dish. You can also substitute the Shrimp with spicy grilled chicken or flank steak. A variety of seafood including Tuna, Red fish, and Flounder or even Scallops would work perfect as well. For the most part, folks can easily find good shrimp so that is what we did here today. Here is what you will need.

 



"What, no lime?"

Food processor

Tortilla press and cast iron skillet well seasoned.

Maseca corn flour

Large peeled and de veined shrimp

Fresh Queso Fresco Cheese

Fresh table cream (Mexican soft sour cream)

1\2 tablespoon of cumin

1\2 tablespoon of garlic powder

10 crushed garlic cloves

Two scallions

1 diced shallot

1\2 teaspoon of pepper

1\2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 seeded jalapeno (fresh)

1 teaspoon of course ground sea salt

1\2 tablespoon of chili powder

4 limes

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of Italian parsley

Fresh lettuce

4 ripe tomatoes

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Four avocado’s



Feliz Salsa

First up, make  my Feliz salsa or “Happy” salsa. In the food processor add the cumin, garlic powder and cloves, spring onion, shallots, pepper (black and cayenne), jalapeno, one cup cilantro and Italian parsley, vinegar, salt, juice of two limes, and chili powder then blend. Once blended well it will look like a green pasty mush I call “delicioso”, and that is what you want.

Next in a LARGE bowl place two diced tomatoes, four avocados diced, coarsely chopped cilantro (1\2 cup) then add your “delicioso” into the bowl and stir all ingredients. Next, cover tightly with saran wrap and put in the refrigerator. You have now made my Feliz Salsa! (and it is to die for, put it on a brick and it would taste good)

Next, peel and devein your shrimp and either grill or sear in cast iron skillet. Season with just a little garlic and chili powder to your liking. Set shrimp aside on warm.

Shrimp

 Make FRESH tortillas, don’t skip this step! Use your favorite corn flour (I use Maseca, I have found a lot of Mexican restaurants use this, at least the ones I frequent and it is simple and very good) Once tortillas are made sear them off in the skillet and place in a tortilla warming tray.

Press then immediately place in hot cast iron.

 

SIMPLE! Just add water and pinch of sea salt.

 "Es Facil!"

 

To serve!

 

Simply place three to four shrimp in a tortilla, then add as much feliz salsa as you like, then garnish with a little fresh lettuce, some Queso Fresco cheese, then topped with a few diced tomatoes and table cream. Slice two limes and serve on the side.(table cream is a soft Mexican sour cream you can find at most Mexican grocers)

TIP: Put Crema in squirt container then garnish

 

Actual Cheese Purchase

Defiantly try this recipe, in my 45 years of cooking, it is at the very top of the list. This dinner was made for my wife Donna “Ms 11” birthday. I served it with a side of her favorite, Eastern Shore Steamed Clams.

 

My wife, "Ms.11" Happy birthday dahlin

 

 "Yo quiero uno de esos womaen beatutiful"



Many thanks to my favorite Mexican grocer in Cheriton Virginia on the Eastern Shore. Ever in the area, check out their taco truck for lunch, Best homemade $2 taco you will ever have!

 

 

 

Godspeed,

Jim Baugh,

JBOTV
Author of Hooked and "AFTERMATH"

PYO Benefit Concert Jim Baugh Piano