In the Pickles

Yesterday I crossed something off my to-do list that had been lingering there at the bottom, repeatedly getting put off and ignored.  I tried my hand at making refrigerator pickles.  Now I'm anxiously waiting to test my dill-icious creation.  If you want to try making your own pickles, too, here's how:

Gather six clean pint sized canning jars with lids.  In the bottom of each jar put a few sprigs of fresh dill (you'll probably need about one package for the recipe), a clove of minced garlic, as much roughly chopped white onion as you'd like (I used two small Arkansas garden grown onions), and a dash a of black pepper.  Don't worry too much about measuring, just go with what looks right to you.

Next, rinse and cut up about eight cucumbers.  I used all different sizes of garden cucumbers grown here in Arkansas.  You can cut them into whatever shape you like best.  I chose to cut some in to chips and the others in to spears.  Now arrange the cucumbers in the jars, making sure not to pack them in too tightly.

Last, mix the brine and pour it over the cucumbers, but be sure you leave them a little breathing room.  

To make the brine, combine four cups of water, 10 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, and about four and a half tablespoons of kosher salt.  Stir the liquid mixture until the salt is dissolved, and viola!, you just made your pickling solution!

As a finishing touch, I placed one last spring of fresh dill to each jar.

That's it!  Can you believe it?  Screw on the tops real tight and refrigerate for AT LEAST two days.  I'm going to let mine stew as long as I can stand it.

Is it weird that I think they're pretty?  I'm pleased as punch with myself for creating something so cute and edible.  Give it a go and let me know how it all panned out.

**This recipe is adapted from one of Annie's at Annie's Eats.

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