Pickled Beets

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pickling spice
• 1 small bay leaf (not California)
• ¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 small beets (1 medium size) sliced into ¼ inch rounds

Preparation:

1. Peel and slice the beets to ¼ inch rounds.

2. Add to a saucepan along with a cup of water and bring to a boil over medium heat; lower heat and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).

3. Reserve a 1/4 cup of the beet water and drain the beets; put the beets aside.

4. Add the beet water to the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

5. Once the pickling mixture has cooled, pour it into a glass container with a secure top; add the cooked beets; seal and refrigerate overnight before using.

*Pickled beets will keep refrigerated in a sealed glass container for about 5 days.