Well This is a Fine Pickle... {Recipe: Refrigerator Sweet Pickles}

For years I blamed my sister for hating pickles. When I was around 5 or 6 she told me to close my eyes and open my mouth and she will give me a big surprise, then she stuck a dill pickle in my mouth. It was not what I was expecting. I trusted my sister to give me something yummy, like candy. For years after I would not touch pickles. I always joked it was because of my sister. Of course it had nothing to do with the trick my sister played on me, I just really don't like the flavor of dill. 

Lately a few restaurants that I have been to have had what they call "house made pickles" on the plate. My initial reaction is to just leave them, but they look a little different than the traditional pickles I am familiar with. So I decided give them a go. It turns out that I really like them. The ones I have tried so far have been nothing like pickles I grew up with or what my sister stuck in my mouth. 

After trying house made restaurant pickles, I decided to try and make some at home. The first recipe I tried are from the blog Wit and Vinegar. They are simple and fresh tasting. They do have dill in them, but it is mild. Then I tried one from the Cooking Light website, but made a few alterations. 

Here is my new favorite pickle recipe, adapted from Cooking Light:

Refrigerator Sweet Pickles

Ingredients

6 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (about 2 pounds)*

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1 1/2 cups white vinegar 

3/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups water

Divide cucumbers and onions between two 1-quart canning jars (any glass container or containers will work, this is just what I used). 

Combine vinegar and remains ingredients, except the water, in a small saucepan; stir well and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Pour 1/2 of the liquid over the pickle/cucumber mixture in one jar, then repeat with the other 1/2  in the second jar. Add about 1 cup of water to each of the jars to make sure the cucumber/onion mixture is completely covered. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Chill for at least 4 days before serving. 

Note: Pickles may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. 

*I could not find pickling cucumbers at our local grocery store, so I tried organic English seedless cucumbers and they worked just fine. They may not be as crisp at the pickling cucumbers, but they were still good and a somewhat crisp.  

Enjoy!