Pickled Beets and Eggs

A great Amish recipe!

8 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled
2 (16 ounce) cans sliced beets, drain but reserving
1 cup juice
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
10 whole cloves

Place eggs and drained beets in a large, nonstaining bowl (glass or stainless steel works well).

Bring 1 cup reserved beet juice, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaves and cloves to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour beet juice mixture over eggs and beets, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days. (At 24 hours the pink color will be halfway through the egg white, while after 48 or more hours the egg white will be fully pink.)

To serve, drain eggs and beets, discarding bay leaves and cloves. Slice eggs in half lengthwise and arrange on a serving platter. Scatter beets around the eggs.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.