Pickles

I love most pickles foods. I used to have a killer pickle recipe I had created/tinkered with to perfection. Of course I never saved it or anything so it died with an old computer. So here is my attempt to recreate it although I totally haven't a clue what my old recipe contained.

But pickles have a nostalgic thing to them. I had made a dozen jars the day before I have birth to my second son. It was probably funny to see a very pregnant woman stirring a steamy pot on the stove and in 90 degree weather! So I remember as I about left for the hospital to make sure my pickle hard were sealed.

So here is my recipe and I hope it turns out.
It makes 2 quarts.

Would you know they're ripe around Christmas in very southern California? At my home 2 hours away our cukes are not ready until late Summer.

Anyway here is my recipe.

Oh these are refigretator pickles, I usually make "real" pickles. Make sure the jars are sanitized and lids very clean.

2 lb cucumbers, sliced into rounds.
1 sweet onion, sliced thin. You might not use it all.
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt, coarse is best
3 tablespoons picking spice mix
Bunch of coursely chopped fresh dill.

Line bottom of jars in onion slices. I used a quart had and 2 pint jars and only about half an onion.
Add cucumber slices. Add as many horizontally as you can buy some may need to go in vertically. Lightly tamp down and add dill, enough to be a layer.

In a saucepan, heat the picking spices, vinegar, sugar, water, salt. Boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and let dinner a few minutes. Pour mix over the pickle jars. Leave a bit of head space. If you need more liquid, mix up some more vinegar, sugar, water, half the salt and boil.

Lightly place lids on and let sit on the counter until cool enough to place in refrigerator. Once ready, make sure lids are tightened. Set in fridge one week before eating. Consume, refrigerated, within one month.