Quick Refrigerator Bread & Butter Pickles

Dill forming heads full of seeds

 In my 2010 Garden: Most of us in the south have already been busy putting up some garden goodies. A lot of us have already been harvesting some cucumbers. For me this year they will be late. I had a outbreak of cucumber beetles, so instead of being disappointed I pulled the plants and just put in my backups. I know it will be worth the wait because I've planted a new variety this year that I've wanted to try for a long time now. It's actually a white exotic cucumber. But for now I'm happy to share my favorite recipe with others for a quick refrigerator bread and butter pickle.

For my 2011 Garden: This year I've grown the Heirloom Lemon Cucumber and I'm very happy with the results. Very little cucumber beetles and it came up nice and early. It is in the mid nineties going into June. We've had a severe drought so I'm having to water them twice a day. It looks as though the heat is not slowing them down at all so far. I'm really happy because I actually have Dill turning to seed at the same time with the cucumbers. Usually it is finished before my cucumbers are ready.

Heirloom Lemon Cucumbers

7 cups thinely-sliced cucumbers (Do not peel or cook)
1 cup thinly-sliced onions (Red are the very best)
1 Tbsp. pickling salt or sea salt

Let soak together for about 2 hours

Add in the following:

2 cups sugar
1 cup vinegar (white is best for this in my opinion)
1 1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
A sprig of fresh dill seed

Pack it all up in jars; seal and refrigerate.

Happy Gardening!!

Pammy