CHRISTMAS PICKLES

Christmas Pickles image

A dear family friend made these pickles for decades. I've adapted the recipe a bit over the years, but in my heart they are still "Dr. Rhodes' pickles." These morsels are delicious any time of year, but the green, red and white hues of the pickles, cherries and onions make them ideal for Christmas gift-giving-and it's a tasty twist on the classic Christmas pickle tradition. -Patricia Martin, Shelby

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 35m

Yield 6-1/2 quarts.

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 gallon whole dill pickles
11-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon whole cloves
3 to 4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
4 to 5 whole cinnamon sticks
1 pound whole candied cherries
3 jars (15 ounces each) pearl onions, drained
1 teaspoon olive oil

Steps:

Drain pickles, reserving juice; set juice aside. Cut pickles into 1/2-in. slices; set aside. In a large stockpot, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, cloves, peppers, garlic, cinnamon sticks and pickle juice. , Cook over medium heat sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Discard cinnamon sticks. , In a large bowl, combine cherries, onions and pickle slices. Pour liquid over pickle mixture. Stir in oil., Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, stirring occasionally. Divide mixture among jars. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 99 calories, Fat 0 fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 55mg sodium, Carbohydrate 25g carbohydrate (23g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 0 protein.