Celery Dill Pickles (Makes 8 pints)

Years ago, my friend Mary Reineke, brought me a jar of these wonderful sweet dill pickles. They are easy to make and delicious to eat, so create a batch for wintertime eating right now.

4 pounds pickling cucumbers
2 medium onions
4 stalks celery
8 heads fresh dill, divided in half
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 quart cider vinegar
2 cups water

1. Wash cucumbers; cut 1/8” slice off each end. Cut     cucumbers in 1/2” crosswise slices. Peel and cut onions     into thin slices. Cut celery into 3” lengths.

2. In large kettle, combine sugar, salt, vinegar and water.     Stir to begin to dissolve. Bring mixture to boiling.

3. Place a slice of onion, length of celery and 1/2 dill head     in each of 8 hot pint jars. Pack cucumber slices with a     few more onion slices and celery lengths in each jar.     Top with 1/2 head of dill.

4. Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers, filling to     within 1/2” from the top. Adjust lids.

5. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Start to     count processing time as soon as jars are placed in     actively boiling water in the boiling water bath.

6. Remove jars. Cool on wire racks 12-24 hours. Check     jars for airtight seal. Do not use for 2 or 3 weeks.