Grandma Lavonnes Christmas Pickles Recipes

CHRISTMAS PICKLES

Steps:

• Drain pickles, reserving juice; set juice aside. Cut pickles into 1/2-in. slices; set aside. In a large stockpot, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, cloves, peppers, garlic, cinnamon sticks and pickle juice. , Cook over medium heat sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Discard cinnamon sticks. , In a large bowl, combine cherries, onions and pickle slices. Pour liquid over pickle mixture. Stir in oil., Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, stirring occasionally. Divide mixture among jars. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

GRANDMA LAVONNE'S CHRISTMAS PICKLES

Steps:

• Day 1: Wash cucumbers and place in a crock.
• Cover with boiling water 2 times a day for 2 days.
• Day 3: Rinse in warm water. Cut into 1/2 inch chunks and cover with boiling water. Add alum.
• Day 4: Drain, rinse and cover with boiling syrup: Vinegar, sugar, spices food coloring (If using red, add cinnamon sticks).
• Cover with this syrup for four days. Reboil two times a day.
• Day 8: Pack chunks into canning jars, cover with boiling syrup and seal. Pickles are ready to eat now. Extra syrup may be saved and added to another batch.

CHRISTMAS RED PICKLES

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers, halve lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch half circles, and place into a glass or ceramic crock. Dissolve the pickling lime in about 1 quart of room temperature water, pour over the cucumbers, then add additional water until the cucumbers are covered by 1/2 inch. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours.
• Drain the cucumbers and rinse well with cold water. Place into a large stockpot, and cover with cold water. Allow to stand for 3 hours, then drain and rinse again.
• Return the cucumbers to the pot, add the food coloring, alum, 1 cup vinegar, and enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 2 hours. Once the cucumbers have cooked for 2 hours, drain and allow to cool a bit before placing into the glass or ceramic jar.
• Stir together sugar, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, cinnamon red hot candies, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar and candies dissolve. Pour this mixture over the warm cucumbers, cover, and let stand overnight.
• Pack pickles into pint jars, and process in a hot water bath for 15 to 20 minutes. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal.

SPICY CHRISTMAS PICKLES (NO COOK)

Steps:

• Drain pickles and rinse gallon jar.
• Slice pickles into 3/4" or 1" rounds, drain again.
• Into jar layer sliced pickles, peeled garlic, and sugar; add NO liquid.
• Pour on the whole bottle of tabasco sauce, NOTE: I have used the 2oz size when I wanted a less spicy pickle and I think tabasco is the only brand of hot sauce to use in this recipe.
• Add bottle of red OR green food coloring if desired.
• Cap jar and shake.
• Store in icebox and shake it daily to mix the ingredients and dissolve the sugar.
• In about a week you will have brightly colored,spicy pickles!
• Note: as these marinate over the week they shrink, so the yield will be less than a gallon.

GRANDMA ARNDT'S PICKLES

Steps:

• Make a brine by dissolving 1/2 cup of salt in 4 cups water in a large container, place the cucumber spears into the brine, and let stand overnight.
• The next day, drain the cucumbers, rinse well with water, and set aside.
• Combine the sugar, vinegar, 1 cup of water, mustard seeds, celery seed, turmeric, and pickling salt in a large nonreactive pot, and bring to a boil. Add the carrot sticks, and boil for 2 minutes, until the carrots are cooked but not mushy. Stir in the pepper slices and cucumbers, and bring back to a boil.
• Sterilize canning jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the pickles into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes, remove the jars, and let cool to room temperature.
• Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.