American Goulash

Name: American Goulash
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 large onion (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 cups marinara (or tomato-based pasta sauce, approx. ½ of a 26 oz jar); 1 ¾ cups beef broth or water (or as needed); 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes (with juices); 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 green bell pepper (diced, optional); 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 bay leaves (2 if they are small); salt & black pepper to taste; 1 ¼ cup elbow macaroni noodles (uncooked); ½ cup cheddar (or mozzarella cheese, shredded, optional)