Prepare your jars and lids by washing in warm, soapy water and rinsing well. Place the jar rack into the water bath canner, set the clean jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Warm your lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep jars and lids warm until they are ready to use.

Rinse the tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and parsley under running water and air dry on a kitchen towel.

Tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the core, cut into quarters, and add to a large saucepan.

Carrots: Remove ends, peel, and dice the carrots. Measure 3/4 cups (3 ounces) and add to the pot.

Celery: Trim off the ends and chop into small pieces. Measure 3/4 cups (2.5 ounces) and add to the pot.

Pepper: Remove the stem, seeds, and membrane from the pepper. Chop into small pieces. Measure 3/4 cups (3 ounces) and add to the pot.

Onion: Peel and chop the onion. Measure 3/4 cups (3 ounces) and add to the pot.

Parsley: Separate the foliage from the stems, discard the stems, and chop the parsley. Measure 1/4 cup of chopped parsley and add to the pot.

Stir to combine the vegetables, and bring the pot to a slow simmer over medium heat. Stir the vegetables frequently and squish the tomatoes to help release liquid.

Once the pot is simmering, continue to simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Turn off the heat and let the juice cool.

Run the mixture through a food strainer or food mill to juice and remove seeds and peel.

Return the juice to the saucepan, add salt (if using), and heat the juice to a simmer over medium-low heat. Do not boil.

Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to remove the warm jars from canner, drain, and line up on the towel.

Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid citric acid to each quart size jar.

Use your canning funnel and ladle to add hot juice to warm jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Run your bubble popper through the jars to release trapped air. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp towel.

Use the magnetic lid lifter to lift lids out of the warm water, center lid on the jar, and screw on band until it is fingertip tight.

Use the jar lifter to place the jars back into the canner leaving space in between them.

Once the jars are all in canner, adjust the water level so it is at least one inch above the jar tops. Add more boiling water if needed so the water level is at least one inch above the jar tops. When adding water, use the hot water from the small pot your lids were in. Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.

Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, process quarts for 40 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. (adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary).

When processing time is complete, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down and settle for about 5 minutes.

Spread a kitchen towel on the counter; remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Use a jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel.

Allow the jars to cool for 12 to 24-hours. You should hear the satisfactory "ping" of the jar lids sealing.

After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate jar and use up within a few days.

Remove the screw on bands and wash the jars. Label and date the jars. Store your jars in a cool, dark place and use within 12 months. Yields 7 quarts jars.