Fridge Pickles & Peppers  

Makes 3 pints     5 minutes + cooling & chilling    

Here’s a way you can create your own signature pickle or pepper without all the traditional pickling hassles. Add any variation of peppers you like. I often mix jalapeños and fresh Tabasco peppers but any variation will work. You can even remove the peppers for zero Scoville heat. But what fun would that be?

Infusing some heat in the pickles will make your guests remember the meal.

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 English cucumber, sliced

5-6 sweet mini peppers, sliced in thin rings

2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced in rings

1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the apple cider vinegar and sugar to a boil, 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, onion powder, and salt, and continue cooking until the sugar and salt have dissolved, about 1 minute.
3. Divide the cucumbers, mini peppers and jalapenos into 3 pint-size Mason jars.
4. Pour the liquid over the vegetables and leave uncovered to cool completely, about 45 minutes.
5. Seal the jars and refrigerate overnight before serving.

You can cut out all the pickling hassles by starting with inexpensive store bought pickles and doctoring them with your favorite sweetener and hot peppers. The sweet and heat will absorb and mellow after about a day of refrigeration. I experimented with different brands and prefer the crunchy snap of Vlasic Baby Kosher Dills, adding hot peppers and sugar.