PIckles, Pickles and MORE pickles!!

So my mom has a killer great garden.  I tried but mine just isn't doing as well as hers is.  Thankfully, she likes to share.  And since she is unable to tend her garden this weekend she asked if i wanted to check her cucumbers.  HOLY SMOKES!  I got 2 Walmart bags full of nice cucumbers.  Now, I like fresh cucumber as much as the next lady but, seriously, that is A LOT of cukes.  So I decided to make pickles.  I made relish last week with much success so why not, I asked myself.

I made 2 different varieties of pickle.  Now, since pickles have to "cure" in their brine for a while I have NO idea if either of these pickles will be good.  But, since they are dill (and not bread n butter-blech!) I have hope that they will be stellar.  I would take some good pictures and share but the King has to finish cleaning the virus I got on our other computer before I can do that.  Anyway,  I'll post pictures later. :)  On to the recipes..

The first recipe is for "Claussen" style pickle spears.  I have great hopes for these cause I love Claussen pickles.  YUM!  Instead of typing out the whole recipe, I am just going to link you to where I got it.  She is very clear and anyway, you need to see her blog....she has great recipes.  So just go visit foodie with family


The other pickles are standard canned dill pickles.  I altered a recipe found in More With Less (which is my go-to cookbook).  Here is my recipe (which I haven't tasted yet)  I used 8 pint jars.

Fill each of the pint jars with
small cukes, or cucumber spears, or slices (I did slices)
1 sprig fresh dill
1/4 of a small onion (or cut a larger onion into 8ths)
1/2 clove garlic (opt)
1/8 teas red pepper flakes (opt)

Heat hot water bath canner half full of water.
In other saucepan combine
6 cups water
3 cups vinegar
1/2 cup canning salt
Bring to boil and pour brine into filled jars.  cap jars with rings and bands. Process jars for 5 minutes in boiling water bath.  Ready to eat in 2 weeks.

** I put onion, garlic, dill in the bottom of all the jars first.  I put red pepper flakes in half of them.  We'll see how we like them. :)