Quick Pickles

(very closely based on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/quick-pickles-recipe.html)

1/2 c white vinegar

1 T sugar

1 t mustard seed

1 t salt

1 smashed but whole clove garlic

1 t dried dill

1 bay leaf

4 kirby* cucumbers, cut into 1” slices on an angle (a bit less than a pound)

Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving. The pickles aren't preserved and won't keep long.

*Kirby or pickling cucumbers are best, but you can use "regular" or slicing cucumbers instead. Try to find slender ones. One difference is that the seeds in slicing cucumbers tend to be bigger.