SPICED TOMATO JUICE

Growing up in Southern Indiana farm country, we always had lots of tomatoes.  In the summer, we would go out to the garden and pick tomatoes fresh for our meals.  When we had more tomatoes than we could eat, which was every year during the best part of the growing season, my mom and my grandmother would can them and also can homemade tomato juice.  Oh, man, that stuff was sooo good!  We weren't allowed to "drink it all up," as we used it all winter in soups and sauces.  But I loved getting a quart of tomato juice out and spicing it up for a delicious juice.  Ah, the memories!

3 quarts tomato juice
3 tablespoons sugar (Splenda for me now as an old gal diabetic!)
1/2 tsp salt (This old gal now goes with only 1/4 tsp!)
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt (This old gal now uses garlic powder!)
1/2 tsp onion salt (This old gal now uses onion powder!)

In a large sauce pan, combine the tomato juice with the sugar, stirring to mix well.  Stir in the salts.  Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer juice until it reaches the consistency you desire.

Approximately 12 servings. 

PS This juice is also good to use in chili, vegetable soup, spaghetti sauce, etc.