Pitchells

I made a bad pregnant person. I don't like pickles and I don't like ice cream. Of course, I was sick every day of both my pregnancies, so I wasn't too concerned that I was breaking the Pregnant Food Commandments. Grape Mr. Misty's were my friend.

Do your families have words they make up or phrases you say that make no sense to an outsider? We have a lot in our household. We quote movies, song lyrics, TV shows and our own words and phrases all the time here in the Butter household. One of them being 'pitchells'. I have called pickles this since before I was married. And I have no idea why. It stuck.

I have never canned in my life. I'm afraid I will kill those that I love with botulism or some other scary sounding condition. I did attempt refrigerator pickles knowing that it would maybe be a little more safe for those lazy mongrels that live in my house; my family.

I scanned the Internet and asked people on FB about pickles and I did a mish mash of all the recipes. I made three different 'flavors' for those two in my household that eat pickles. Here is what I made.

Spicy Dills

4 cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/2 of a medium onion, thinly sliced (I used a mandolin)

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

3 jalapenos, seeded and sliced

2 TBSP sugar

1 TBPS fine sea salt

1-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 TBSP coriander seeds

2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 sprigs of fresh dill

Put sliced cukes, onions, jalapenos and dill into a clean 2 quart jar. Crush the coriander and mustard seeds with the red pepper flakes slightly and place in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Add the sugar, vinegar and salt. Tightly close the jar and shake vigorously until sugar and salt dissolve. Pour over the cukes in the jar. Seal the jar and place in fridge for up to a month. I added a few whole coriander seeds also.

Sweet Pickles

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup vinegar (I used half white distilled and half apple cider)

1/8 cup salt

3 cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/2 a medium onion, thinly sliced (mandolin again)

In medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Let cool while placing cukes and onions in clean 2 quart jar. Pour liquid over cukes and seal with lid. Store in fridge up to a month.

Sorta Sweet Pickles

1 small onion, thinly sliced (yep, mandolin again)

3 cucumbers, thinly sliced

3 sprigs dill

1 TBSP mustard seeds

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp celery seeds (I used salt because all the grocery stores here were sold out)

1-1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 TBSP salt

Divide cukes and onions between 2 2-quart jars. Top with dill. Crush the mustard, coriander and celery seeds slightly. Place spices in saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients. Boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Cool and pour over cukes. Seal jars and store in fridge up to a month.

Enjoy!