Cinnamon Cucumber Rings - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 lbs large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded
1 cup pickling lime
8 cups water
3 cups vinegar
1/2 tablespoon alum
1/2 ounce red food coloring
2 1/2 lbs sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup red-hot candies
1 gallon glass container

Preparation

Slice cucumbers 1/4\" thick and cut into chunks or circles [like pineapple].
Mix pickling lime and water thoroughly in glass container.
Pour over cukes - soak 24 hours.
Drain - rinse and drain again several times - cover with cold water -SOAK 3 hours - drain.
Mix 1/2 cup vinegar -1/2 tablespoon alum - red food coloring - 1 cup water - add to cukes - add water to cover - simmer 2 hours - drain.
Mix 1 cup vinegar - 1 cup water - 2 1/2 cups sugar - 4 cinnamon sticks - 1 cup red hots - Heat and pour over cukes - let stand 24 hours.
For next 2 days drain liquid and reheat just to boiling (do not boil!) Pour over cukes.
On 3rd day - reheat cukes and liquid together -remove cinnamon sticks.
Process in hot water bath for 15 minutes or refrigerator storage.
Notes: red hots are difficult to melt, so do them separately in a bit of liquid. Red Hots may be difficult to find but do not substitute!
Wide mouth jars are much easier to fill, if doing rings.