Every once in a while, I like to flip the TV channels and watch Jim Cramer on CNBC. It’s not that I think that Jim Cramer is a spectacular trader, I just think he is a talented and amusing guy. The last time I tuned on the tube, CNBC’s Jim Cramer was naming his top five picks to get you through these recessionary times.

So with pencil in hand, I quickly scribbled down his top five stock picks on a piece of paper and shoved it into my pocket. I actually forgot about Mr. Cramer’s picks until today when I found this crumpled piece of paper with my handwriting on it. This paper listed the five stocks that Mr. Cramer picked on the close of business on January 8.

So here are Mr Cramer’s top 5 picks and where they closed on 1/08/09:

Caterpillar: (NYSE_CAT) – Closed @ 44.08
Home Depot: (NYSE_HD) – Closed …