Pickles, kinda, sorta

This is my variation on a refrigerator pickle recipe I found in Country Woman Magazine. We almost always have some of these in the fridge. Prep time does not include refrigerator time.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Yields: 2 quarts

Ingredients

• 2  lbs  unpeeled cucumbers, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 2  large onions, cut into 1 inch cubes and separated into pieces
• 4 -8  cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 -2  tablespoon kosher salt (definitely not iodized)
• 1 -2  small  fresh  hot pepper, seeded and quartered,or sliced and unseeded if you want it hot,or something in between
• 1  tablespoon dried dill weed, lightly crushed (about; more or less, as desired)
• 1 1⁄2 cups vinegar (I used 1 cup white, ½ cup cider, or maybe try all cider or all wine vinegar)
• 1  cup sugar (more or less to taste; we us much less. about 1/4 cup)
• 2  teaspoons  pickling spices (remove about half of the cloves)
• 1  teaspoon  dill seed

Directions

1. Combine cucumbers, onions, garlic, peppers, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Allow to set for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.
3. Pour off accumulated liquid, and sprinkle with dill weed, tossing as you add the dill.
4. Allow to set for 1-2 more hours, tossing occasionally.
5. Transfer to colander to drain for 5 minutes.
6. Taste, and if too salty to your taste, rinse and allow to drain for another 5 minutes.
7. Add a little more dill weed, to taste.
8. The cucumbers are quite edible at this point.
9. If you want, you can stop right now and start to munch.
10. Tastes good!
11. We have tried it!
12. While the veggies are marinating, combine vinegar, sugar, pickling spice and dill seed in a small sauce pan over low-medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
13. Continue to simmer until you are almost happy with the intensity of the flavor; don't let the marinade get too strong.
14. Remove from heat.
15. After the veggies have finished draining, return the vinegar mixture to high heat until it just boils.
16. Strain vinegar mixture onto veggies, and toss thoroughly several times.
17. Refrigerate in a covered plastic container for at least 24 hours, tossing or shaking occasionally.
18. Remove the hot peppers if the pickles are getting too hot.
19. Store in the refrigerator if you are going to use within a few months, or ladle into small plastic freezer containers and freeze.
20. To serve, defrost if frozen.
21. Serve chilled.
22. This is good after being frozen, but loses some crunch.
23. It will keep for at least a couple months in the fridge, probably more, and the flavor only improves with time.
24. Tastes kind of like bread and butter pickles, but crisper.
25. Don't forget to eat the onions and garlic.
26. They are not just for seasoning.
27. They're good too, real good!
28. You might want to add more of them just for eating's sake.