Deli-style refrigerator dill pickles

Pickles are a thing of beauty. I can't eat a sandwich or a burger without one (or two). Dill are my favorite and the crisper the better in my opinion. I bought some pickling cucumbers at the farmers' market recently and proceeded to scour around for the best refrigerator pickle recipe I could find. Initially I was going to ferment them, but our place is just too hot right now to try to ferment. So I found this recipe that I used as a guide (though I completely modified the seasonings). I must warm you that they are completely addictive if you are a pickle fan like me! I've been averaging four a day... They are the perfect compliment to your favorite sandwich or summer burger!

Note that these are refrigerator pickles so they are not preserved and are not safe for canning. These pickles are ready to eat after about 48 hours of brining, and they don't last forever. You should eat them within a couple of weeks. If the pickles start to get soft/mushy or you notice any sort of mold, you've taken too long to eat them and they should be tossed. I put my pickles in one large half gallon jar with a Ball reusable storage lid. You can also use quart jars (3-4).

Deli-style refrigerator dill pickles
3 cups water
6 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons pickling/canning salt
1 quart pickling cucumbers, cut into spears (quartered lengthwise) 
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2-1/2 teaspoons dill seed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill weed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Put the water, vinegar, and salt into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture stirring occasionally until the salt is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Place the garlic, dill seed, dill weed, red pepper flakes, and black peppercorns into the bottom of a clean 1/2 gallon glass jar (you can use small jars, just divide the seasonings equally into each jar and add a garlic clove to each). 

Scrub the cucumbers well to remove all dirt. Trim the very ends off of each cucumber and cut into spears. Pack them into the jar - you want to fit as many as possible, but leave room to let the brine get into and around each spear. If you can't fit them all, that's OK.

When the mixture is cool, pour it into the jar. All the cucumbers should be covered with brine. Top the jar with a lid.

Place in the refrigerator and they will be ready to eat in about 48 hours.

What was I cooking one year ago?: Thai-style omelets 
Two years ago?: skillet zucchini biscuit pie 
Three?: chocolate zucchini bread 
Four?: galumpkis (stuffed cabbage rolls) 
5?: shrimp etoufee