American Goulash

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup water (or as needed to ensure pasta gets cooked properly)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)