Sweet Hot Pickles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 lbs washed and sliced cucumbers
1 3/4 cups pickling lime
3 tablespoons pickling spices
1 teaspoon celery seed
9 cups white vinegar
8 cups sugar
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
6 -8 habanero peppers

Preparation

Place sliced cucumbers in 1 gallon cold water and mix in 1 3/4 cups pickling lime. Refrigerate overnight. Next day, rinse 3-4 times until water is clear. Soak 3-4 hours in ice water then drain.
Using 3-4 layers of cheesecloth, make a spice bag with the pickling spice and celery seed, tie bag well.
Bring the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, spice bag and salt to a boil. Add cucumber slices and boil 30-40 minutes until cucumbers are mostly clear. Remove spice bag.
Pack cucumbers and syrup into hot, sterilized jars. If using peppers, add 1 pepper to each jar. Adjust lids and bands. Put into enough boiling water to cover jars and boil for 15 minutes. Make sure jars seal.