The brine has 4 cups of vinegar and 1-1/2 cups water - no salt at all. However, originally this recipe called for lime and alum and you very helpfully advised substituting pickle crisp or calcium chloride, instead. Perhaps, with the removal of the lime, I could have foregone the additional days of soaking in the brine as well. We have well water that is very low-iron and soft. Additionally, I use an R/O filter for all cooking/canning. Here is the modified recipe - the original was posted on the Texas Gardening Forum. (they taste great!): ROSY PICKLES 2 gal. watermelon rinds, or cukes with seeds removed. (Overgrown cukes work best) peeled and cut in long strips or shapes with tiny cookie cutter 1 cup vinegar, 5% acidity 1 oz. red food color BRINE: 3 cups vinegar 3 (3-oz. pkgs) red hot cinnamon candies 5 lbs sugar 12 cinnamon sticks Pickle Crisp or Calcium Chloride 1st Day: Simmer 3 hours in 1 cup vinegar, red food coloring and enough water to cover. Drain and throw away the brine. Place watermelon in clean, food-grade bucket. While simmering, dissolve red hot cinnamon candies in 3 cups cold water. Bring to boil a brine of sugar, 3 cups vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and the dissolved red hot candies. Pour this brine over the cucumbers, and let stand for 24 hours. 2nd Day: Drain and reserve liquid. Reheat and pour over the cucumbers again. 3rd Day: Repeat as for 2nd day. 4th Day: Heat cucumbers in brine. Place Pickle Crisp (3/4 tsp/pint) or Calcium Chloride (1 tsp/pint) in bottom of each jar. Pack into hot jars, and seal while hot. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. (Do not over-process or pickles will become mushy.) Remove to towel-covered counter to cool. It would be nice to be able to change this to a one-day canning process. What do you think?

This may be one to save for when the kitchen is re-assembled but I just had to share it. It's from W-S so they skew it to fit their tools. Feel free to adapt as desired. Cassoulet Ingredients: 4 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 8 pieces and trimmed of excess fat Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 Tbs. canola oil 1 cup panko 4 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips 4 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions (about 3 medium onions) 2 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 can (35 oz.) peeled Italian plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 2 cups chicken broth 12 cups cooked Great Northern beans or other small white beans, drained 1 1/2 lb. fresh chorizo sausage, each halved on the bias 1 garlic head, halved crosswise 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish 1 lb. baguette, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing Coarse sea salt, such as sel gris, for garnish Directions: Season the pork generously with kosher salt and pepper; set aside. In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, combine the canola oil and panko. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is toasted and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the panko to a baking sheet and season with kosher salt and pepper. Add the bacon to the insert and cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat in the insert. Add half of the pork to the insert and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork. Add the onions and 1 tsp. kosher salt to the insert and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and broth. Remove the insert from the heat and add the beans, pork, chorizo and garlic. Place the insert on the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, 9 to 10 hours. Skim off the fat, and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the panko and the 1/4 cup parsley. Adjust the seasonings with kosher salt and pepper. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat the broiler. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Arrange the slices, oiled side up, on top of the cassoulet, overlapping them. Broil until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with the reserved bacon, sea salt and parsley. Serves 8 to 10. Here is a link that might be useful: Link to the recipe

Not my creations, from a magazine. I hope you enjoy them. I usually keep some cooked rice in the freezer and then find it easy to make a quick meal when necessary.

I posted elsewhere on this forum, what I found, i.e. "Leek Broth" which suits my needs quite well. Here is a link that might be useful: Where I posted the recipe for Leek Broth