Fridge Pickles

I just tried this great recipe from Sara Foster's book Fresh Every Day and it was so easy and so delicious! If you happen to be growing cucumbers in your garden like we are, you'll love this:

Mom's Fridge Pickles
I grew up eating these crunchy, not-too-sweet pickles. They're great just to snack on or serve with a sharp Cheddar or Swiss cheese. In the summertime, I layer them on tomato sandwiches, and they're a must with Peter's All-World Burgers. You want to make them with kirby cucumbers because the seeds are small and the cucumbers are naturally crisp.

Makes About 1 Quart

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dill seed
4 to 5 small kirby (pickling) cucumbers, peeled in stripes and sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
1 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and dill seed in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Layer the cucumbers and onion in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar. Place the lid on the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.