1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced to 1/8-inch thickness
1/2 lb. celery, sliced into 1/4-inch thickness
2 red bell peppers, medium dice
1/2 lb. cauliflower florets, about 3/4-inch in size
1/2 lb. green olives, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 lb. hot peppers of your choice (I did half jalapeño and half serrano)
1 cup pickling salt
4 quarts water
2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsps pickling spice (purchase or easily make your own)
1 1/2 cup sugar
In a large bowl or stock pot, stir the pickling salt into 4 quarts of cold water until the salt is dissolved. Place all of the diced/chopped vegetables into the brine and cover. Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours. Drain the vegetables in a colander and rinse them in cold water, draining them again. Set aside. Place the vinegar, pickling spices, and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to ensure the sugar dissolves. Add the vegetables to the hot vinegar mixture and let boil for 10 minutes or until the vegetables soften a bit. If you want to can the pickled vegetables, follow the steps outlined here, but leave 1/2-inch headspace and process the pickles for 5 minutes at full boil in a water bath canner, then another 5 minutes remaining in the canner with the heat off. At 8500 feet, I process for 25 minutes and a 5 minute sauna sit. Double check your seals after 24 hours. Makes 6 pints.
** Note from Chella The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes.**