SWEET LIME PICKLES.

we have had so many cucumbers from our garden that we just cannot eat them fast enough, so it was time to make some pickles.  it was my very first time making pickles, and surprising to me – it was really easy. these pickles have a yummy taste — a perfect blend of zing and zang. so good.

here’s what you’ll need to make sweet lime pickles:
15-20 small/medium cucumbers
1 cup pickling lime
8 cups vinegar
8 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pickling spices
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

cut the cucumbers into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

put them in a large pot.  mix the pickling lime with 8 cups of water.  pour it into the pot with the cucumbers.  cover the pot and refrigerate the cucumbers for several hours.  the longer they refrigerate, the better… the crisper they’ll be.

rinse the cucumbers really good to remove the lime solution.  clean and rinse the pot too, if you’re going to use the same pot to make the pickles.  then put the cucumbers back into the pot.

to the pot of cucumbers, add the vinegar, sugar, picking spices, turmeric, salt, and cayenne.

bring the mixture almost to a boil… then turn off the heat, stir, and cover the pot.  place in the fridge for another 3-4 hours.  then pull the pickles back out of the fridge and boil them over medium-high heat for 40-45 minutes stirring occasionally.

fill the jars with pickle slices and liquid.  after all my jars were full, i screwed on the lids and tightened them all really good, then soaked the jars in boiling hot water for a few hours.  that always worked for me in sealing the lids with blackberry jelly, so i figured it would work with the pickles, and it did!  they turned out really good.  they’re tasty by themselves.. and they’re also yummy on sandwiches and hamburgers!

next i am going to try dill pickles.  my dad bought all the ingredients and brought them to me this morning.  and we have a slew of cucumbers, so i guess i better get busy.  i would like to learn how to can and preserve other vegetables and fruits in our garden this summer.  i have my eye on a book i found on amazon – Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.  do you like to preserve?  do you have any books on preserving?  or any favorite canning recipes to share?  please do!