2 tb Mixed pickling spices 3 c White distilled vinegar 3 c Water (if the tap water in -your home is hard or high -in mineral content, use -bottled water to avoid -getting shriveled -or dark pickles) 6 tb Sugar 6 tb Pickling or coarse -(kosher) salt 10 4-inch-long pickling -cucumbers 4 Fresh or dried dill seed -heads 4 Cloves garlic 4 Small dried red chili -peppers 1. In small piece of double-thick cheesecloth, tie pickling spices to form a small bag. In stainless-steel 3-quart saucepan, heat spice bag, vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer vinegar mixture, or brine, 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, prepare 2 wide-mouth 1-quart canning jars and caps for processing. Halve cucumbers lengthwise. Pack lightly into hot jars; place 2 dill seed heads, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 red peppers into each jar. 3. Discard spice bag from brine. Ladle simmering brine over cucumbers, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top of jar. Keep brine simmering while filling both jars. Place small knife or metal spatula between cu- cumbers and inside of jar. Move knife around jar to release any air bubbles that may exist. Sea] jars with caps. 4. Place jars on rack in 12-quart canner filled with boiling water (water should cover top of jars by an inch); cover canner and process jars 15 minutes. Cool jars; label and store in cool, dark place at least 2 months before serving. Store opened jar of pickles in the refrigerator. Nutrition information per pickle half-protein gram; fat: 1 grain; carbohydrate: 1 gram; fiber. @58 gram; sodium: 741 milligrams; cholesterol: 0; calories: 5. Country Living/May/94 Scanned & fixed by DP & GG