Looking for the perfect inexpensive Christmas gift for him or her?

Welcome to the south. Yes, well if you think the following would not be a welcomed gift for either your hubby or loving wife, then just ask my wife “Ms 11” what she thinks about my cast iron skillet!

 



I cannot think of a better more loving gift that will generate happiness for not just years, but generations. My current cast iron skillet is somewhere around 35 years old and has been with me through thick and thin. Lets see, three house, two wife's, two kids, no… three kids, 30 years of outdoor television and was cooking in this cornucopia of cast iron bliss back during my cable and radio days. As a matter of fact, this one I have had since early college. Fact is back in the recession when I lost my home, I hit the street with nothing but a small suitcase, my bicycle, my jar of starter, and yes my cast iron skillet. That was it.



Jim & Casey Baugh

A few Christmas back I gave my daughter one for a gift, she cherishes it and pampers it like a pet poodle.



A good well-seasoned cast iron skillet will give you as much love back as you give it. It does everything and does it better than any other cook ware.

Think about it, a gift that will probably be used every day, last for generations, and is inexpensive. What is not to love?

The only two things that people will comment in a non-favorable way about cast iron is that it is heavier than other cookware and it does need to be lightly oiled after each use. I say baloney! So you put a little oil on the skillet after use, BUT you rarely have to take the time to clean it. While other cookware you will spend 10 minutes on trying to remove whatever sticks to the bottom, on a cast iron skillet nothing sticks, just wipe dry and oil. It is that simple.

Blackened Mahi



Why is cast iron so great and basically replaces all skillets and frying pans in my kitchen? Here are some of the best reasons.

 

      ·      The pan will heat to a higher temperature.

·      The skillet will maintain even temperature throughout the surface without any cool spots

·      Super nonstick surface, food never sticks

·      Durability, the darn thing holds up no matter what

·      Nothing browns better-meatballs, chicken, fish, etc

·       Nothing blackens better

·       Nothing cleans as easy

·       Nothing fries as good.

·       Nothing makes gravy as good (southern gravy can only be made in cast iron as well as southern fried chicken)

·      A must for tortillas, browning breads, etc, etc.

·      Nothing cooks steak better

* ** Nothing sautés vegetables better!

 

Fajita meat seared with peppers

Tips for keeping you're baby in top shape all the time:

The BEST way to fry chicken wings

Searing Sausage

 

·        When new, be sure to season the pan in the oven with a good coat of oil covering the entire pan inside and out.

·         Always dry completely and wipe down with an oiled paper towel

·         FOR PERFECTLY SESONED PAN DO THIS!!

·       Use Crisco once in a while and rub it onto the bottom of the pan, then finish off with some canola oil or peanut oil. This will add extra coating and protection should it not be used in a while.

·       Best oil to use? Well, use what you got. However I try to keep a small bottle of peanut oil around to season with because it does not smoke at high temperatures.

·       Storage? Leave it on the stove top always. Once you realize what you can do with a well seasoned skillet, there will be no need usually to use anything else.

Homemade Meatballs

 

 Things to avoid cooking in cast iron:

·       Long simmering tomato sauce I would skip. Short term quick pasta sauce (which is the best) is great to do in a skillet.

·       Deserts like brownies etc. The reason is your skillet is for most all savory dishes and the seasoned pan holds some flavor. This is great for 90% of the things you cook, but not sweet deserts.

NOTE: This should be mentioned. After cooking at high temperatures let your pan cool a bit before pouring super cold water in it or sticking it in the snow. This could cause the pan to crack. This has never happened in all my years of using cast iron, but then again I have never used snow to clean the skillet after a deep fry. This mostly pertains to campers using cast iron outside, etc.

Fresh Rockfish

 

What about eggs?

·         Cast iron is the best nonstick surface available BUT it has to be perfectly seasoned. Just follow the steps above. Also, when cooking eggs of any recipe, first cook your bacon or sausage in the skillet, then add the egg. This is just the way diners cook their breakfast. You may not know it, but each morning diners start off by cooking up at least a pound of bacon on the griddle, then save the excess fat to use throughout the day for nonstick and flavor purposes. You do the same in the cast iron skillet.

If you’re going to buy a second cast iron piece of cookware this is the one to get!

 

The Lodge Combo Cooker.

This is an extremely versatile piece of cookware. It for the most part is a Dutch oven with a top that is designed to also be a small frying skillet. This way you have a smaller skillet to go along with your big daddy fry pan. This cooker I usually use to only make breads. It is always seasoned with Crisco and peanut oil. After backing bread, bouleys, the bread will just slide right out. Nothing sticks not even a crumb.

How to clean… Don’t!

Again, if your pan is perfectly seasoned and maintained, nothing sticks to the skillet. Just rinse with hot water, wipe dry, then reapply with some oil. NEVER USE SOAP NEVER EVER EVER!!!! It will ruin the seasoning.

Pirates cooking with cast iron at the Blackbeard Festival



So here is what you do should something stick because you got lazy and did not properly season your pan. Pour hot water and let it sit for 5 or ten minutes. Then it should come right off. If something still remains, just use a metal spatula and scrape the area a little bit. Dry and reapply your oil. It is that simple.

Stuffed thighs with rosemary and onion pan seared then baked in wine

Homemade Chips





Taquitos

Trust me, the gift of cast iron is one that will last a lifetime, and then some. It is great fun to cook with and besides my faith, piano and my kids, it has stuck beside me for over 35 years. Never let me down once.

Sorta reminds me of Rum.

 

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Godspeed,

Jim Baugh

JBOTV

Jim & Donna Cookin in Hatteras NC

 

 

Mrs. Donna with proof we do eat vegetables...
well, with cheese.

Below are some of the "Skillet" dishes we make

using small single serving skillets.

TOTALLY AWSOME

way to cook many dishes. Great stuff!!

(Most of these recipes we just created. Use what you got in the fridge, put it in the skillet with some cheese, etc, bake it off at 350 for 45 minutes and WOW! You can really come up with some fantastic dinners!)

CAUTION: Remember the skillet is always piping hot and will burn you easily. Be careful when handling. Always use heavy pot holders. Also have something that will not melt that you can set your skillets on when you serve them. I have used many things, my fav is just small individual cutting boards made of wood. This protects your table very well.

Jalapeno & Cheddar Pasta

Chili Pot Pasta

Chicken & Potato Cheddar Pasta

Fresh broiled seafood skillet platter

Tortellini with pepperoni and schooms

Sheppard Pie Skillet

Pizza skillet pie

Sourdough Italian rounds for muffaletta sandwhichs

Tex Mex Skillet Special

Chicken tortellini

Spaghetti Meatball and Peperoni Baked Skillet

 

 

Seafood Sampler

 

A recipe for a good book! 5 star review HOOKED & Aftermath Zebra Press Washington DC Feb Issue.

Full article online, print mags available

throughout Washington DC area. 

Hooked

February 11, 2016

Hooked –Line and Sinker

 Review: Hooked 2nd Edition

 Author – Jim Baugh

 Publisher: Solstice Publishing

 Reviewed by: Ralph Peluso, Literary Editor

 Zebra Rating – 5 Stripes

Jim Baugh Authors Page Amazon

Jim Baugh is a unique individual. He is not only the author of the semi-autobiographical book Hooked, but also the host of a long running outdoors TV show. Now, Jim is actively fulling another dream by using his talents to transform Hooked into a screen play.

Generally it takes a while for readers to become invested in a new book by a new author, usually 30 to 40 pages; not with Hooked. In the third line of his introduction I grabbed the bait when he describes a woman he is dating as DC Nympho. While at dinner, he and Miss DCN devise a mid-life crisis comedy game show, ‘Meet My Match Game.’ Right there I sat back and imagined the plot lines. I thought this was the author’s clever bit of sarcasm aimed at today’s guaranteed- can’t miss dating sites. Where even you can find your everlasting soul mate! He took that kernel in a different direction.

He simply tapped into what most of us talk about and never act on; taking pen to paper to create stories from the hundreds of wonderful events that occur in our lives worthy of memorialization. Incredibly Jim composed Hooked in 12 days, while at the same time editing and producing the TV show. He told me he could have otherwise gotten it finished even quicker.

I think most of us can reflect on and associate with the hilarious people and situations in his stories to those we have encountered in our lives. Jim reveals many facets of his interesting life beginning with his early years spent roaming the docks of Gloucester, Virginia. There he fell in love with his long lasting passion fishing. Jim uses pictures to accentuate his journey. I couldn’t figure which of all the photos I liked more. Rather than play favorites, I chose one from each phase of his life: a classic black and white depicting proud young brothers posing with their prized catch, several smallish bass. Then the tease, a pair of female legs in high heeled boots on silk sheets the onset of his mid-life crisis romances. Maybe it was Miss DCN? Closing with a sentimental look back, he uses a solitary and very mature Magnolia tree standing alone, the journey nearing conclusion.

He introduces a never ceasing deluge of characters. The encounters included many familiar scenes played out in our own lives. I am certain many of us have had ‘that’ uncle. You know the one who is the life of the party in all too many ways, the kind who make even grown men blush. The judgmental elder, you know the one always looking for the worst possible side for anything we did. Some of us also have had ‘that’ romance; you know the one we elect not to talk about, except with our closest same gender friends. And of course our passions, in Jim’s case boats, fishing and his wonderful TV show. He has been graced with celebrities making appearances on the show, who knew Robert Goulet was an outdoorsman. He looks way too neat and pressed for that!

He did not close the story there; in Hooked 2nd edition he included a recent addition, Aftermath. This is a three year memoir updating readers on his journey. As many of us do, after all the chaotic and carefree moments, after the heartbreaks and disappointments, we become grounded. We find our counterbalancing partner and sail off to enjoy the sunset years. I will not spoil the ending for you. I will say Jim does all that except for ending up on Cedar Key rather than Key Largo, where he had hoped. ON Cedar Key, he celebrated the 25th production year of Jim Baugh Outdoors. The photos in the Aftermath are fun. After looking at them, I was talking like a pirate and with a yen for BBQ. Thanks Jim!

One of the most captivating elements of the book is Jim’s use of quotation’s to frame each chapter. Benjamin Franklin’s quip says it all. “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.” After reading Hooked 2nd it is clear Jim has accomplished both.

He told me he never had so much fun than writing this book and he is equally enthusiastic about the screen play. I wish him nothing but success.

 BIO : Jim Baugh is a native Virginian and has been producing television shows since 1987. Programs include: Award winning Jim Baugh Outdoors TV (220+ episodes), Ski East, Classic Fishing with the Bassmasters, Fishing Virginia and RV Times. Broadcast include: The Family Channel, The Outdoor Channel, The Sportsman Channel, Fox Sports, America One and NBC Universal the Comcast Network. Jim also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Music and a minor in Piano from Virginia Commonwealth University. He writes, performs, and engineers all the soundtracks for his television productions and regularly performs solo live Jazz piano concerts.

Category: Book Reviews

NEW Jim Baugh Outdoors TV HD Feature on St. Mary's County Maryland with Cooking Feature at the Ruddy Duck Restaurant

 FIRST LOOK! New HD Jim Baugh Outdoors TV feature on St. Mary’s County Maryland. This is our first return visit in over 20 years and we take a brand new look at everything there is to do in St. Mary’s in full High Definition. Basing out of the Piney Point area we filmed along with the crew of Captain Phil Langley for some good time spring time Rockfishing.

 

Also highlighted is the Maritime Museum, the Piney Point Lighthouse, other historical sites and a don’t miss cooking episode at the Ruddy Duck! Take a first look now in HD! This film has been re-edited for HD streaming and does not have commercial breaks in this preview. We would like to thank everyone at St Mary’s County Tourism Office for hosting us on this trip, Carol and Andrew were great to work with.



 

August Issue! JBO TV Coastal Angler

Seafood Pasta Recipe Feature