Last year I was looking for a good spicy bread and butter pickle recipe. I
developed my own and thought I would share it. These pickles are hot. They
are very flavorful and people that like hot pickles love them, but know that
they are not spicy flavored pickles, they are spicy HOT pickles. They are
wonderful!

Before slicing peppers: Either wear gloves or be very careful to minimize
contact with peppers after they are sliced (especially the Habanero), they
can burn your hands badly. Pepper oils left on hands have an unpleasant way
of finding lips, eyes and noses. Washing hands with dish soap or other
grease cutting hand cleaner works well to remove the oils if needed.

1.5 qts. cucumbers, medium size, sliced
1.5 qts fresh jalapenos, big ones, sliced
3 medium onions, sliced
1 Habanero pepper sliced
1/2 cup canning salt
1 pint vinegar, 4 to 6 percent acidity
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. celery seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. ginger, ground
1 tsp. peppercorns
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cinnamon
Yield: 4 to 5 pints

Sprinkle sliced cucumbers, peppers and onion with canning salt and then soak
in ice water for 1 hour.
Drain the liquid from the vegetables and rinse with a large strainer
carefully to remove all salt. Retain as much pepper seeds as possible if you
like it really hot.

I usually double the syrup recipe to be sure my pickles have plenty of syrup
in them.

Make hot syrup of the sugar, vinegar, and spices. Bring the syrup to a boil.
Add drained cucumbers, peppers and onions to the hot syrup and bring to a
boil again. Pack into clean, hot pint jars and ladle in syrup to within 1/2
inch of top. Wipe rim of the jar. Place jar lids on jars and tighten rings
to finger tight. Have water boiling in canner. Process in simmering water
bath at 200 to 205 degrees F for 5 minutes. Count processing time when water
returns to a simmer. Set the jars upright several inches apart on a wire
rack or wooden board to cool.

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