Pickled Treats For Harrisburg Hubby

My husband loves this stuff and suggested I prepare it when my mother-in-law comes to visit next month. I'm not so sure about that, she might think I was mocking her (if I made pretzel soup as he suggested, she'd really think I was teasing). We enjoy pickled items where I'm from as well (particularly onions), but the egg thing is really something I had to get used to.

The recipe for cooking the beets will leave you with plenty of extra beet juice in the pot to make another batch of brine for the eggs and onions. I would do them in separate jars. As these are not canned, keep them in the fridge and eat within a week.

You Will Need:

For the pickled beets:

1 large bunch of beets, stems and greens removed (but don't toss them, greens are wonderful)
water for cooking
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups beet juice
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
10 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon mixed pickling spice

Scrub beets, remove tops and boil in enough water to cover until tender. Reserve liquid. Peel beets and chop into chunks.

Combine vinegar, hot juice, and spices. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add beet chunks and pack into large jar. Cool in fridge completely before sealing. Use within a week.

Make another batch of juice/vinegar combination and in each jar place 2 cinnamon sticks. In one jar add a very thinly sliced onion, tightly packed. Add liquid to cover. In second jar, add peeled, hard boiled eggs and add liquid to cover. Close tightly when cooled. The eggs will be better if permitted to sit a day and absorb the flavourings and colours.