Sweet and Hot Garlic Pickles

Do you have a pickle lover in the family? There's always at least one. This recipe may just convert the whole tribe with its sweet-but-spicy-garlic-dill essence. And the garlic....oh, I think the garlic slices are the best part! The most difficult step of this whole process is having to wait several days for the flavors to mature. After a week or two, they go from great . . . to incredible . . . to  addictive. Put a bowl of these green babies on a picnic table in the summer and watch them disappear! Look no further for a half-time snack than these little jewels. Wives will be hounding you for the recipe. 

• 1, 16 ounce jar sliced dill pickles (I use Heinz Hamburger Dill Chips)
• White, granulated sugar
• Peeled and sliced garlic, at least four large cloves
• Tabasco sauce or similar hot sauce

Process:

Drain the pickles but do not rinse. Either using the same, rinsed-out jar, or canning jars, begin layering. First place a layer of pickles, then some sliced garlic, then a layer of sugar. Now sprinkle with several shots of Tabasco sauce. Continue layering until you've used up all the pickles. Screw on the lid and place upside down in the refrigerator. Every once-in-a-while, turn the jar. It will begin to make its own juices from the sugar. BUT they won't be at their peak for at least 3-5 days. 

I place the pickles in two pint jelly jars. To each layer, I sprinkle about 2 teaspoons sugar, 4 slices of garlic, 3-5 drops of Tabasco sauce. When done, I sprinkle the top with one tablespoon of sugar. Remember, you can always make them hotter, but you can't take away the hot you've already created. After several hours, shake and taste for "heat."

These are great served alongside chili.

Any size jar of sliced pickles will do.
Adjust garlic, sugar and Tabasco to taste.