FOOD - PICKLE MAKING (ATTEMPT 1)

This weekend I made dill pickles for the first time from scratch and it was super easy!  I think I will have to make a batch every week to keep up with how fast my boyfriend eats them.  Because this was my first time, I decided to make half of them refrigerator pickles had I put half through a water bath so I could keep them around longer.  These pickles were really vinegary and not salty enough for my taste but they are still pretty good!  I will definitely be making subtle changes the next time I make pickles and report back!

What you will need:
- 6-8 kirby or pickling cucumbers (they are shorter than regular cucumbers)
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar (next time I am going to use half apple cider, half white vinegar)
- 2 cups water
- 3 tsp pickling salt (pickling salt is different than normal salt because it does not have any additives, next time I will bump this up)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 large sprigs of dill (next time I will use dill seed for a richer flavor)
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 4 pint jars or 3 quart jars

How to make Dill Pickles:
- If you are going to use a water bath, prepare the water bath.
- Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil.
- Distribute the garlic, dill, mustard seed, and peppercorn evenly into the jars
- Cut the ends off the cucumbers then slice into quarters
- Pack the cucumbers tightly into the jars
- Cover the cucumbers with the water, vinegar, salt brine
- Cover jars and either place in the water bath for 10 mins or place in the fridge

Enjoy!