Simply Amazing Microwave Bread and Butter Pickles

Tuesday I mentioned how well our garden was doing and my subsequent search                       for different ways of preparing cucumbers.


And I mentioned the plethora of almost-identical sites that proclaimed 13 "amazing ways" to use them in reportedly "amazing" ways  and --- the blogger who's personal tests proved them amazingly ineffective.


Yesterday I found yet another plethora of sites touting an amazingly delicious, amazingly simple, amazingly quick method of making bread and butter pickles in the microwave --- in less than 10 minutes from start to finish.


They are amazing FANTASTIC !


Comments from the various sites all followed along the
same lines. As I remember them, they included:


"My mother actually cried when she tasted them -- they reminded her so much of the ones she used to make with her mother."


"I don't even like bread and butter pickles but I LOVED these!"


"My husband ate the whole jar."


"I could hear my kids in the kitchen chomping away."



"This is how bread and butter pickles used to taste."


"My Nana's pickles tasted just like this!"


Since Simple Gail is not into hyperbole . . .


I can't give them higher praise because  I'd hate to oversell them and raise the hopes of bread and butter pickle lovers everywhere.


Finally. . .


THE RECIPE


One large cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced 
One onion, even more thinly sliced
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp ground turmeric


Combine above in medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 7-8 minutes, stirring twice, until cucumbers are tender and onions are translucent. 


Put into a clean jar with a lid. Chill (and store) in refrigerator.  Enjoy!


Comments from others included:

• doubling or tripling the batch
• using canning lids and rings and 10 minutes in a water bath to seal them for storing
• adding small amounts of garlic for variety

Gail's comments:

• when I make jam I sterilize my jars in hot water, fill them with the hot liquid, top with canning lids (that have been sitting in hot water) and rings and then I turn them upside down on a towel. This helps ensure a seal. You don't need to water bath jams and jellies because of the high sugar content. Maybe the sugar and vinegar in these would allow you to do the same but for now I am just sealing the jars with my upside-down-way and storing them in the refrigerator. 

• to save bunches of money I buy my spices at a health food or grocery that sells bulk spices by the ounce. One ounce each of the three spices came to $1.74 and is enough for making several batches! 

'til we eat again,
          Simply, Gail