Quick Bread and Butter Pickles

As the next step in my foray into domesticity, I've finally attempted pickling. (!) These pups are quick and easy. They're are refrigerator pickles, so there's no two-month fermentation (Disclaimer: I have no idea what's required of actual pickles). They're sweet and delicious. We played around with the sugar levels, and I think my preferred sweetness is somewhere between 3/4 and a cup of sugar, and I like them sweet.

Bread and Butter Pickles
As adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 4 cups of pickles, filling a 1-quart jar

1 lb kirby (pickling) cucumbers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Kosher salt
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c distilled white vinegar
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds (if ground, use 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp celery seed

Combine the cucumbers and onion in a medium sized bowl.

In a pot, bring sugar, salt, vinegar and spices to a boil.

Add cucumbers and onions to vinegar mixture and bring almost back to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. They'll taste pickled almost immediately, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

I think I'll probably begin pickling everything in my kitchen and making Bloody Marys that are 3/4 vegetable. Seems like a healthy reason to have one daily.