A few years ago, one of my good friends, Val, taught me an incredibly delicious, yet totally simple trick: reuse Claussen pickle juice to make your very own pickles.  Claussen is like the gift that keeps on giving.

Here’s what you do (clearly, I’m all about lists lately):

1. Buy a jar of Claussen pickles (or your favorite brand) when they’re on sale.  Those babies are expensive.
2. Eat those pickles.  Nom nom nom.
3. When the pickles are gone, save the jar, the vinegar juice, and all of the garlicky goodness that settles to the bottom.
4. Chop up a cucumber or two in any shape or size that suits your fancy.
5. Load up the jar with all the cukes.
6. Seal it and put it back in your fridge.
7. Twiddle your thumbs in front of the fridge for at least a week or two until the cukes have started pickling.
8. Depending on how “pickled” you like them, eat them after a week or wait as long as you like!
9. Enjoy your very own semi-“homemade” pickles.
10. Cry when the jar is empty once more.
11. Repeat steps 1-10.