I have to thank my neighbor for this recipe!  This is a SWEET pickle brine, which brings out the wonderful taste of the peppers.  I use a mixture of green and red bell peppers from my garden.   They’re delicious with Italian hoagies, tuna sandwiches, omelets or just straight out of the jar.

Pickled Sweet Peppers

INGREDIENTS

• 2-1/2 lbs bell peppers
• 2 c white sugar
• 2 c apple cider vinegar
• 2 c water
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

• Combine above ingredients, EXCEPT peppers, in a large saucepan; bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove seeds from peppers and cut into strips.
• Blanche peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes; drain.
• Pack peppers into sterilized jars and cover with pickling liquid leaving 1/4″ head space.
• Process in a water bath canner (click here for canning directions) – 10 minutes for half-pints and pints and 15 minutes for quarts.
• Instead of canning, the peppers will keep for several weeks in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
• Yields approximately 6-8 half-pints.

As with any food, if it looks funky or smells nasty, THROW IT AWAY.  Nobody wants a heaping serving of food poisoning with dinner.