Jeri's Cucumber Slices

Summer seems to invite more fresh vegetables into our diet as we hunt for lighter dinners. Often eating more salad items such as my sister's Cucumber Slices. They are absolutely delicious. I received her recipe that I thought I should share with you.

Ingredients
6 cups sliced cucumbers                      
1 large sweet onion (like Vidalia) sliced
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 red bell pepper sliced (any color will do)
2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon peppercorn

Directions
1.  In a sauce pan combine the vinegar, sugar and salt over a medium heat.
     Bring to a boil, stir and boil about 3 minutes (just long enough to dissolve sugar).
     Remove from heat and let cool a bit.

2.  Using the hottest tap water you have heat 4 - 5 old sauce jars (which appear to be canning jars)
     by filling them with the hot tap water and letting them sit for a minute or so.  Dump the water out.
     TIP:   If you use a larger jar like the more decorative olive jars then adjust down the number of
     jars you heat.

3.  In each jar layer the cucumbers, onions and peppers (going heavy on the cuke layer) until you reach
     the top.  Sprinkle several peppercorns on top. 

4.  Fill each jar about 2/3  up with the vinegar mixture. Wait 30 minutes to an hour.  As the heat draws
     the moisture from the veggies the level will change.  The hotter the mixture the faster the veggies
     will absorb it.  If you notice space at the bottom of the jar, stuff more veggies in to pack it tight. 
     Then be sure to add more vinegar mixture to fill the to the top.

5.  Refrigerate 24 hours and enjoy.

TIP:   Just keep adding more fresh cucumbers, peppers and onions to the jar. You can also pour remaining into another clean jar just to keep a good rotation on the food.