Easy Recipe for Homemade Pickles

Ingredients needed: 
cucumbers, vinegar, garlic cloves (optional) and salt. Fresh dill is a great addition if you have access to it, but it is not necessary. Other optional ingredients that may be used are jalapenos (fresh or pickled) and/or cayenne peppers (dried).
The amount of cucumbers you need to purchase is based on how many jars of pickles you want to make. Buy one to 2 pounds of cucumbers for your first foray into pickle making. The best cucumbers are usually labeled "pickling cucumbers" in your grocery store's produce section. The English variety of cucumbers are also good to use. Pick the smallest cucumbers you can find-3"-4" long. (You may use the larger variety but it would be best to slice these into sections.)
The preparation is easy.
1. Get your jars and ingredients lined up. Wash your cucumbers thoroughly.
2. Add a small amount of vinegar to your jars, then add one teaspoon of salt. (If this is not enough salt for you, you can adjust to your taste in the next batch). Swirl the jars around or stir until salt is dissolved.
3. Peel two garlic cloves and drop into the jar. (You may cut them in half or leave them whole). This is also a good time to add the fresh dill if you have any. No need to trim it, just wash it and put it in, stalks, leaves and all. If you want to slice it to measure it, use about 2-3 tablespoons.
4. Add any jalapenos or cayenne peppers if you enjoy spicy pickles. Then add your cucumbers. You may need to trim a few of them to fit into the jar. It's probably easiest to slice them lengthwise before placing them in the jar but this is optional.
5. Fill your jar the rest of the way up with vinegar, taking care to ensure that cucumbers are covered. Put the lids on the jars and place in the refrigerator. Wait at least 3 days, (a little longer for larger cucumbers).
6. Open a jar and enjoy your pickles!
You'll probably notice that your garlic cloves have turned a bright green. This is normal.
This is a great recipe to enjoy in your own home but you can also make pickles to give away as gifts or to take to a picnic (since you can use jars recycled from your own pantry, you don't have to worry about getting your jars back). Once you've tried it, you may never want to buy commercial pickles again!