Italian Tomato Sauce (vegetarian)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 medium-sized bell pepper, diced
2 medium stalks celery, minced
1 lb mushrooms
1-2 medium (6") zucchini, diced
2-3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, chopped
a handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 28 oz can tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
lots of black pepper
4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup freshly minced parsley

Heat the olive oil in deep saucepan. Add vegetables, herbs (except parsley) and salt. Saute over medium heat until the onion is very soft (~15 minutes).

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and black pepper. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered at least 30 minutes.

Add garlic, and cook 10 minutes more. At this point, the sauce can sit for up to several hours, or be refrigerated up to a week, or frozen.

Heat gently before serving, and add parsley at the last minute.