Italian Meat Sauce

1/2 cup onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (3 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon MSG, if desired
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup water

Saut