Red-Hot Cinnamon Pickles by Lori Bogan-Potts

Ingredients

1 cup pickling lime 4 quarts water 12 large seedless cucumbers 4 cups white vinegar 1 ounce red food color 1 teaspoon alum 2 cups hot water 8 cups sugar 8 cinnamon sticks 6 ounces red hot candy

Instructions

Peel cucumbers and slice into 1/2 inch rings. Let stand 24 hours in lime and water. Rinse and drain.

Cover with fresh water and let stand for 3 hours. Then drain the cucumbers.

Combine 2 cups vinegar, red food color, alum and enough water to cover cucumbers. Simmer 1 hour. Drain and discard liquid. Set cucumbers aside.

Combine 2 cups vinegar, hot water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and red hots in 5 quart pot. Bring to boil and pour over cucumbers.

Let stand overnight. Next morning, drain off liquid. Reheat and pour over cucumbers again. Repeat this process once a day for three days.

On third day, pack jars with pickled cucumbers and cover with reheated liquid.

Seal and put in hot water bath. Boil in hot water bath for 5 minutes.

Remove from hot water bath and place on cooling rack.