Fast Refrigerator Pickles

 

This is an easy way to use up extra produce and provide a treat for the family. This is not one of those recipes that are canned and last 'forever' on the shelf. These have a life span of about two weeks in the refrigerator. After sampling my efforts, yesterday, I don't think they will even last two weeks!

Fast Refrigerator Pickles
12 half pint canning jars
6-8 regular cucumbers, very thinly sliced
3 carrots, very thinly sliced
2 cups of onion, very thinly sliced
3 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place all the sliced vegetables in a large, glass bowl. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a pot, stir to dissolve, and bring to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes and then pour over the sliced vegetables and mix well so all the vegetables gets a soaking.

Fill each jar 3/4th full with the prepared vegetables. After that, add the brine to just cover. Seal and refrigerate. I found they tasted good later the same day but 24 hours is a good time to let the pickles really get tasty.

If you can find it, grocery stores sometimes sell packets of pickling spices and you can use that instead of buying the individual seeds mentioned in the recipe.

You don't need to but I did give all the jars the water bath to seal the jars more firmly but still consider them refrigerated items.

If you want to find a really great pickling spice (which I used), search on-line for Penzy Spices. They offer that along with a huge variety of spices and herbs at reasonable prices. Just passing on a hint!